Used Audi TT for sale: everything you need to know
The Audi TT is a style icon and has long been one of the best coupes you can buy. It has a great heritage and continual improvements have kept it at the top of its game.
Although it’s no longer quite so affordable, the Audi TT still delivers a lot of style and substance for the money, both for those who are buying and those who prefer to lease their new car.
All versions have an entertaining amount of power, and many offer the security of quattro all-wheel drive – making this a coupe you can use all year round. Audi also offers a broad array of trims, meaning there is something for everyone. Rivals to the Audi TT include the BMW Z4 and the Porsche Cayman or Porsche Boxster.
The Audi TT is a popular two-door coupe for good reason. No matter whether you are buying or leasing a new car, there’s enough choice to pick out the perfect model for you.
Should you buy a used Audi TT?
The Audi TT is one of the most approachable sports coupes you can buy. It isn’t overly demanding to drive, and it won’t scare off those stepping from, say, a hot hatch into their first sports car.
It’s still an exciting car to drive, though, with more precision and dynamism than a regular hatchback. Even the entry-level 40 TFSI 2.0-litre engine has almost 200PS, for 0-62mph acceleration in less than 7.0 seconds, while pricier versions have the added security of quattro four-wheel-drive grip.
The TT has a smart, accommodating and extremely well-built interior. It feels special, with some really tactile touches. It resembles a more expensive model and certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of sporty feel from behind the wheel, thanks to low-slung seats and a cocooned feel.
A 305-litre boot is surprisingly accommodating – it’s bigger than a Ford Fiesta, for example – and while the rear seats are tiny, folding them flat opens up 715 litres of space. The TT is more practical than you might think.
There’s a broad choice of variants within the model line-up. Even entry-level Sport lives up to its name, with S line adding bigger wheels, racier styling features and lowered sports suspension. Vorsprung features every imaginable extra as standard, for those who want the ultimate TT.
It may not be the freshest car around, but the Audi TT still holds its own in terms of classy, understated appeal. As the new sports car sector shrinks, its appeal continues to stand out. If you’re in the market to buy or lease a sprightly sports car but don’t want the headaches that can come with it, the Audi TT is a great all-round choice.
The TT is a bit of a modern classic. It’s long been a design icon and the latest version continues to build on this, with gradual evolutions that further hone Audi’s most affordable sports coupe.
For those seeking stylish good looks, a low driving position and sporty handling, all backed up by good performance, it’s a great choice, particularly given the TT’s great reputation on the used car market. Impressive retained values mean PCP finance and monthly lease payments should be affordable, too.
You don’t need to go extreme if you want the excitement of a sports car but still plan to use it every day. The Audi TT is a perfect all-rounder, as capable on a long motorway trip as for taking the back roads instead. It’s easy to see why new and used car buyers continue to hold it in such high regard.
What’s the best used Audi TT model to buy?
Audi has refined the driving experience in the Audi TT to the point that every model in the line-up feels largely the same. The only real difference between an entry-level 40 TFSI and the all-singing TTS is how fast the numbers come up on the speedo.
Both cars share the approachable handling, sharp responses and accurate steering that make the TT so confidence inspiring on an unfamiliar road, but the four-wheel drive car just grips a little harder in the turns and feels a bit more secure in bad weather.
As a result, we think the entry-level car - with its 197PS output and front-wheel drive - is the one to go for. It's fun to drive, and feels plenty fast enough, but it's also the cheapest to buy, own and insure, making it excellent value. If you want the meaner styling and figure-hugging seats in the S line model then it's a sensible upgrade from the basic Sport, but bear in mind you'll still need to pay for sat-nav, climate control and front parking sensors.
The 45 TFSI is the only Audi TT with a manual gearbox. However, you can't combine shifting gears yourself with Audi's quattro four-wheel drive system - it's one or the other - and the automatic gearbox is effective but won't excite keen drivers.
With its fancy adaptive suspension, highly-tuned 306PS engine and generous standard equipment levels, a TTS takes the standard car's winning formula and adds a welcome pinch of spice, but it's also quite expensive as a result.
An Audi TT not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.
Used Audi TT fuel economy and performance
Audi used to offer the TT with a diesel engine option alongside the four- and five-cylinder petrol engines. These days, however, it’s all-petrol.
Audi TT 40 TFSI S tronic: The most affordable Audi TT uses a 197PS 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, combined as standard with an S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox. Because it has less than 200PS, it is front-wheel drive, rather than quattro four-wheel drive. Zero to 62mph in 6.6 seconds is still swift, though.
Audi TT 45 TFSI quattro S tronic: Moving up to the 45 TFSI brings a 245PS 2.0-litre turbo engine. Here, quattro four-wheel drive comes as standard. The extra power of the engine, and extra traction, cut the 0-62mph time to 5.1 seconds.
Audi TTS 320PS quattro S tronic: The Audi TTS is the ultimate four-cylinder version, with a 320PS 2.0-litre turbo engine. It accelerates from 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds, which is entering into Porsche territory.
Audi TTRS 400PS quattro S tronic: The ultimate TT is the Audi TTRS, which uses an exotic 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine. It accelerates from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds and is such a specialist car that we have examined it in detail in a separate guide.
Diesel-powered Audi TTs became less and less popular, so it’s harder to pick them out from all the petrol models, although the promise of nearly 60mpg means they will appeal to some.
What used Audi TT trim levels are available?
The Audi TT is available in numerous trim levels. The range opens with Sport grade, and moves up to more focused S line versions and the well-equipped Vorsprung.
The TT has remained largely unchanged since its launch in 2014, but the timeless styling still appeals and the relative rarity of the TT compared to conventional hot hatchbacks means it retains an allure.
Alongside core engines, the higher-performance TTS is also available in regular, Black Edition and Vorsprung grades.
The Audi TT Sport is the all-rounder of the TT line-up. Even this version gets distinctive alloy wheels and sports front seats. It’s available with the entry-level 197PS 2.0-litre turbo engine, but a faster powerplant is also available to buy.
The Audi TT Sport Edition is the ideal TT for those who want to stick with one of the more affordable engine choices, yet want a bit of extra exterior style.
The Audi TT S line is a core TT grade, bringing all the firm’s S line styling features to the car. These include lowered sports suspension, moodier interior colour schemes and appealing ‘extra sporty’ front seats with rich S line black Alcantara and leather trim.
The Audi TT Black Edition builds on the more driver-focused features of S line grade with even darker black-themed styling details, plus a larger set of forged alloy wheels. Even the tailpipes are finished in black chrome.
The Audi TT Vorsprung is the priciest and most well-equipped TT of all, with lavish standard equipment that includes almost every single option available on other models fitted as standard. The price jump is considerable, but still less than if all the options were individually added.
Audi TT dimensions and boot size
The Audi TT’s dimensions are:
Length: 4,191mm
Width: 1,832mm
Height: 1,353mm
Ground clearance: 135mm
The Audi TT’s boot size is:
Used Audi TT road tax
The amount of road tax VED you'll need to pay each year for an Audi TT will largely depend on its original on the road price. Cars costing less than £40,000 (about two thirds of the range) will cost £180 per year to tax.
The pricier Vorsprung versions and TTS are both subject to a premium rate of (currenty) £390 on top of the standard charge - for a total annual cost of £570 - before dropping back down to the flat £180 rate again after six years after it was first registered.
Buy a used TT though - especially one registered before April 2017 - and it'll cost a lot less. Under the old tax system, cars with the lowest tailpipe emissions were the cheapest to run, regardless of fuel type. That means the company car favourite 2.0 TDI Ultra (with its official 110g/km output) will cost just £20 a year in VED.
How much is it to insure an Audi TT?
The Audi TT isn’t the cheapest car to insure, due to its specialist nature. It is a bespoke, sporty two-door coupe, rather than a more mainstream hot hatch – and the extensive use of aluminium in its construction makes it a pricier car to repair in the event of an accident. The cheapest Audi TT has a group 36 insurance rating, and even if you stick to the 40 TFSI engine but choose it in S line grade, this jumps up to 41. Needless to say, the high-performance TTRS is priciest of all, peaking at a heady group 46 insurance rating.
Read our full Audi TT review
