Audi TT 2015 review

The latest Audi TT is very different.

It's a retro car that's finally been brought up to date and is a lot better for the change.

It's sharper looking, a much sharper drive, more roomy and a car that is — finally — more than just a fashion accessory.

In some ways, it's a lot like the Volkswagen Beetle.

Please excuse the history lesson, but both cars arrived when retro was big — just like the first born-again Mini — and baby boomer buyers were happy to get the style even if the substance fell short of the mark.

The Mini and Beetle were obviously inspired by cars that hit their peak in the sixties while the TT took its look from an Audi racer from the 1930s.

It's taken until now for Volkswagen to get the Beetle right, which is probably too late, and I've finally just driven a cracking Mini JCW which makes me smile.

This is the third-generation TT and it is changed in every way from the car I first drove in the late 1990s.

The first one turned heads everywhere but was not particularly good to drive, with a cramped cabin lacking in visibility.

Things got a bit better with TT2, although Audi was using models like the go-faster TT RS to distract from the basic shortcomings in a car which was still looking more backwards than forwards.

The styling has a sharper edge that's more in tune with our times

This time, for TT3, the approach is much more focused on providing a car that's a true sporty coupe capable of running hard against rivals such as the BMW 4 Series.

And I like it. The styling has a sharper edge that's more in tune with our times, and it carries over into a cabin that provides more space with fewer gimmicks.

Having said that, the new dashboard design, which incorporates the multimedia and satnav readouts into the instrument panel, is divisive.

I like having everything ahead of me for driving, but others would prefer to have a central screen so the passenger can work the multimedia screen, especially the radio changes.

But the design means the dashboard has a cleaner flow with no compromise on the view out the front, and there are still the signature air vents sitting front-and-centre.

There is more legroom in the front and more space — and better access — to the rear.

The level of standard equipment is good, with everything I expect for the style and price except a standard rear-view camera. That would be a deal breaker for some of the CarsGuide crew and could really hurt the TT when it's time to decide our Car of the Year winner.

It turns when I ask, there is no pitching or bucking in corners

I'd also like to see an ANCAP safety score for the car, but as yet there is none available.

But I really like driving the new TT. It is more settled and fluid on all roads and in all conditions, and the 2-litre petrol engine in the test car — particularly with all-wheel-drive grip and the settings on sport — allows me to really crack on.

It turns when I ask, there is no pitching or bucking in corners — ah, memories of TT1 — and it is swift.

The six-speed dual-clutch gearbox has well-spaced ratios, it's easy to take manual control, and the economy is good.

I can see the upcoming RS being a real star with a chassis that will allow the driver to really get going.

I'm also happy with the driving position and the visibility, as well as the luggage space, but not the lack of any sort of spare.

The quality is everything I expect in a new Audi and it makes me feel better than a 4 Series that still drives well but is predictable and — whisper it — a bit boring.