The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Supportive seats and great driving position
- Spirited, frugal 2.0T engine
- Automatic S tronic gearbox
- Surprising amount of cargo space for a sporty car
- Understated but upscale interior
- Roadster’s tight soft-top arrangement
Dislikes
- V-6 engine doesn’t feel much perkier
- TT isn’t the head-turner it once was
- MMI system out of place in a roadster
Buying tip
features & specs
With the addition of the TTS, the 2009 Audi TT now really appeals to serious driving enthusiasts in addition to those who want to be seen in a styling ride.
Last year Audi gave the TT a complete redesign; while the new TT doesn't make the design waves that the first-generation car did, the automaker finally dials up the TT’s performance to suit its racy profile. The 2009 Audi TT gets a few minor changes but is essentially carried over; however, 2009 brings an all-new, higher-performance TTS variant.
On the standard TT are two different engine options: a turbocharged four-cylinder model with front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive, and a V-6 model with quattro. Of these two, the V-6 is a little bit faster, but heavier, giving the 2.0T a peppier feel. The four-cylinder engine also gets much better fuel economy than the V-6, with EPA ratings of up to 23 mpg city, 31 highway.
The new 2009 Audi TTS comes with a higher-output 265-horsepower version of the 2.0T engine and includes magnetic ride suspension with standard and Sport settings—Sport mode lowers its ride by 0.39 inch—plus upgraded vented discs and a performance exhaust. And in the TTS, the electronic stability control includes a new mode for track days that allows controlled drifting (along with a digital lap timer). The TTS can hit 62 mph in just 5.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph.
Both engines come with the S tronic gearbox, a dual-clutch automated manual transmission that has snappy shifts in aggressive driving, smooth ones in relaxed cruising, and very quick downshifts. Performance-wise there’s no penalty versus a conventional manual transmission. On that note, there is no manual gearbox with the base TT or even the TTS, but the V-6 is still offered with a six-speed manual.
Either as a 2009 Audi TT or TTS, there are two body style choices: coupe and roadster. The tight convertible top of the Audi TT is available in manual or power, and like all of the other Audi TTs before it, the 2009 has a quiet, moisture-free ride with the top up. And unlike with retractable hardtop setups, trunk space is not compromised with the top folded down.
One of the hallmarks of Audi excellence has been the caliber and luxury of the interiors, and for all models of the Audi TT, this holds true. For those seeking a navigation system, the Prestige is the only option package offering it. The TTS has a Silk Nappa leather and Alcantara interior with aluminum trim.
The Audi TT hasn’t been crash-tested by either of the major U.S. testing agencies, but across all models, its standard safety features include hill-hold assist, anti-lock brakes, side airbags, and electronic stability control.
New standard features for the 2009 Audi TT include an auxiliary audio input and Sirius Satellite Radio. Whether in Premium, Premium Plus, or Prestige trim, the TT comes well-equipped; top Prestige models add a nav system, rear parking assist, LED interior lighting, xenon headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, heated sport seats, a Bose premium sound system, and a trunk pass-through, among other extras. An S-Line package dresses up the TT’s appearance to look a bit like the TTS from a distance.
2009 Audi TT Styling
The new 2009 Audi TT looks sporty both inside and out.
If you want a sportier version of the older Audi TT, this is the car, but only if you do not intend to carry more than one adult passenger—and one passenger, period, in the roadster. The updated styling both inside and out makes the 2009 Audi TT a car that looks as peppy as it performs.
The 2009 Audi TT seems sportier than previous models. Kelley Blue Book says that the new Audi TT is "wider and longer than original TT." The length and width have both increased by "5.4 inches in length and 3.1 inches in width," according to Kelley Blue Book. Car and Driver labels the Audi TT 2009 as "unique among sports cars," and Edmunds.com remarks the TT 2009 has the "low-slung look and feel of a sports car."
The interior of the Audi TT 2009 is tiny overall, although there’s plenty of headroom and legroom for in the front seats. Consumer Reports describes the back of the cabin as having "two small rear seats," and Edmunds.com says of the rear seats, "they're only suitable for kids." Up front in the driver's seat is a different story. Edmunds.com comments that the 2009 Audi TT seat and wheel design give the "interior a sporty feel." The flat-bottomed steering wheel in the Audi TT 2009 helps the driver get into and out of the car, but Kelley Blue Book reports that it "mostly just looks cool."
The TTS gets a host of other improvements inside to match its dressed-up exterior, including “more brushed aluminum, gray-faced instruments whose white needles perform a fashionable flick before start-up, and handsome Alcantara-and-leather seats,” according to Motor Trend.
2009 Audi TT Performance
The 2009 Audi TT has great handling and acceleration in any of its models—especially the TTS—but the V-6 drinks a lot more gas without much better performance.
Performance updates to the 2009 Audi TT make this car the choice for anyone looking for a marriage of pep, handling, and all-weather traction.
According to Edmunds, the new Audi TT 2009 model offers a range of engine choices, from a "turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder" in the Audi TT 2.0T to the Audi TT 3.2's "3.2-liter V6 that makes 250 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque." Consumer Reports prefers the 3.2, saying the "3.2-liter V6 is smooth and powerful." Kelley Blue Book has a different take on the 2009 Audi TT's engines—one that’s shared with TheCarConnection.com’s editors—and opts for the "lighter feel of the four-cylinder/front-drive combination" compared to the "heavier V6/all-wheel drive pairing."
The 2009 Audi TT comes with both manual and automatic transmissions on the V-6, but only automatics with four-cylinder models. Fortunately, the automatic transmission isn’t a typical slush box, and most reviewers rave about the automated manual transmission. Kelley Blue Book notes that both transmissions perform well, with the Audi TT having a "smooth-shifting automatic transmission" and the "S tronic dual-clutch transmission (also called DSG)," which they deem "truly revolutionary." The Washington Post finds that the V-6 in the Roadster versions of the Audi TT 2009 "just wants to have fun, which it does quite easily."
Motor Trend raves about the power delivery from the more powerful 265-hp version of the 2.0T engine in the TTS, saying that it “can surf along on a wave of torque on the freeway, big power just a toe-flick away.” They also complement its “real kick” for driving on twisty roads.
According to the Washington Post, the 3.2-liter 2009 TT "drinks premium unleaded gasoline and does so at the rather alarming rate—for a little two-seater—of 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway." There is a more economical option in the TT 2.0T Coupe, which gets "23 in the city and 31 on the highway" per EPA estimates.
The handling of the Audi TT 2009 is "akin to writing with the finest, most perfectly balanced pen. It feels that good in hand," according to a reviewer from the Washington Post, and Motor Trend comments that “it’s easy to drive briskly.” Edmunds.com finds that "Steering is precise, although some drivers might find the rack devoid of feel." AutoWeek pans the shifting, saying that "upshifts come way too quickly"; they go on to gripe that "it's so slow on downshifts that you're forced to go down a couple gears manually with the paddles." Of the ride, Consumer Reports remarks that the Audi TT 2009 has "responsive but not overtly sporty handling." Kelley Blue Book cites the 2009 Audi TT's handling ability, which "holds the road with a firm grip and minimal lean."
2009 Audi TT Comfort & Quality
The 2009 Audi TT has a quiet, comfortable interior—but you shouldn’t try to use the backseat.
Those reviewing the 2009 Audi TT find comfort in most aspects of the car, as long as they do not have to ride in the backseat.
The new Audi TT 2009 is not for large families. According to Consumer Reports, the 2009 Audi TT's "coupe has two small rear seats while the convertible seats just two." Edmunds.com also notes the tiny rear seats in the coupe, "only suitable for kids, packages or perhaps anorexic D-listers." Cars.com reports that the Audi TT has "front bucket seats and a small rear seat" in the coupe model, and the Audi TT "roadster is a two-seater." When drivers get into and out of the front seat, the Audi TT 2009 has, per Kelley Blue Book's findings, "a racing-style flat-bottom steering wheel that provides a touch more leg clearance on entry and exit" and standard "Baseball Optic seat in black leather. Base models feature sport seats covered in a combination of leather and suede-like Alcantara."
Cars.com likes the "aluminum interior trim," and Kelley Blue Book hails the "contemporary design, premium materials," which make the Audi TT another addition to Audi's line of "standout interiors." The Washington Post notes that the "power convertible roof rises or falls in seconds. When it and the when the soft top and "the side windows are raised, it locks tightly in place, sealing out cold and moisture." The power top is now optional on the roadsters for 2009. Edmunds.com finds that the design of the 2009 Audi TT's convertible top "enables the car to retain clean lines with the top down" and "keep the car quiet and well-insulated."
The cargo area of the new Audi TT is passable in the coupe, according to Cars.com; it notes the "13.1-cubic-foot cargo space that grows to 24.7 cubic feet when the rear seats are lowered" and "can carry two golf bags." Edmunds.com also calls out the "coupe's hatchback utility."
Most reviewers have positive things to say about the TT’s smooth, quiet ride—at least relative to other sporty coupes—but one warning is laid out by a Motor Trend reviewer, who recommends that in cruising, drivers will want to switch the TTS’s magnetic suspension back to its normal mode, as in "S" (sport) mode, it “bobs and pitches with just a bit too much hyperactivity.”
2009 Audi TT Safety
The 2009 Audi TT has all of the trappings of a safe car, but no crash-test ratings are available to back it up.
Safety equipment on the 2009 Audi TT is in no short supply, but the car has not undergone U.S. crash testing.
Cars.com cites the Audi TT 2009's "Side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags (coupe), antilock brakes, electronic stability system." Edmunds.com notes that the "hill-hold feature" now comes standard on all Audi TT 2009 models. Kelley Blue Book states the optional features of the new Audi TT include "backup sensors" and "Bi-xenon Adaptive Headlights." Another feature of the Audi TT 2009, per Consumer Reports, is the standard "stability control."
2009 Audi TT Features
The 2009 Audi TT has a wide range of features for its various trim models, but watch your budget when choosing options.
Features and options for the 2009 Audi TT are luxurious, but they come with a price.
New for the Audi TT 2009 are the "auxiliary audio input jack and SIRIUS Satellite Radio," according to Kelley Blue Book. Even with the standard equipment, Edmunds.com considers the Audi "TT's price off-putting."
Cars.com outlines some of the new Audi TT 2009 features, including "navigation system available in Prestige Package" and "manual top standard on 2.0T roadster; power top optional." The Washington Post likes the optional power convertible top of the new Audi TT roadster, saying it "locks tightly in place, sealing out cold and moisture." The Audi TT 2009 also comes with optional "automatic xenon headlights, daytime running lamps, power front seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror with a compass, rain-sensing wipers and a trunk pass-through slot with a ski bag" in the Premium Plus package, according to Edmunds. Other package options for the 2009 Audi TT include the Base, Premium, and Prestige.
New standard features for 2009 include an auxiliary audio input, Sirius Satellite Radio, and a multifunction steering wheel, bringing the TT up to par with the competition. Bluetooth is included on top trim levels.
