| A Week at the Wheel | Dublin, Ireland | Audi TT TDI |

Inside & Out:

Though the second-generation TT is not the design icon the original was, it's still a highly desirable coupé with a look that could not be mistaken for any other car on the road. Our test car featured equipment from the S line catalogue, which turns it into a real head turner, especially thanks to the wheelarch-filling 19-inch alloys.

The TT's interior is beautifully made and though a little dark (unless you shell out for one of the lighter shades of leather) lovely to behold too. The flat-bottomed (optional) S line steering wheel looks and feels fantastic, but makes less sense in a road car that often requires more than a quarter turn of the wheel. It does feature controls for the stereo that are highly tactile, an attribute that pervades every switch in the car. There's no doubting the level of quality here and despite the big sales numbers generated by the TT, its interior feels special. Just don't ask anyone you wish to remain friends with to spend too much time in the rather upright rear seats...

Engine & Transmission:

This is the very first diesel TT and Audi wouldn't risk the car's image on a half-baked effort. Unsurprisingly, the TDI engine installation is massively impressive. The interaction between the engine, the slick six-speed manual and the quattro four-wheel drive system is seamless and exudes quality and hours of development time honing the car. From idle to the redline it's not easy to tell from inside the car that the engine is in fact diesel-powered, as it just sounds good. Admittedly it is louder than the petrol models, but you'll not notice any traditional diesel clatter unless you park in an enclosed space with the windows down. Adding to the remarkable refinement is the 2.0-litre TDI unit's notable smoothness.

Though this engine doesn't have quite as much firepower as the BMW 123d's twin-turbo unit, Audi's installation eclipses BMW's in terms of all-round finesse. That the TDI TT returns 53.3mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 139g/km of CO₂ is worthy enough too, but it feels every bit as quick as the lighter 2.0 TFSI TT, despite a slower 0-62mph time. In real-world use the extra 51lb.ft of torque the diesel engine produces should make it a faster car, though BMW's 1 Series Coupé trumps it in that regard.

Ride & Handling:

Despite riding on lower profile rubber than standard, the TT was found to offer acceptable ride quality given the car's sporting intent. It's a polished chassis, never crashing into potholes or running out of wheel travel when pushed hard. The steering is keen and body roll non existent too, though really enthusiastic drivers may prefer rear-wheel drive alternatives. Most buyers will revel in the all-weather security offered by the quattro four-wheel drive. Audi doesn't currently offer a front-wheel drive TT powered by the TDI engine.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

The price of the 2.0 TDI quattro TT is respectable enough, sitting only a grand or so above the 2.0 TFSI version, yet coming as standard with four-wheel drive. Interested buyers will discover a very tempting list of options, with the S line wheels and 'Audi Magnetic Ride' variable dampers at the top of our must-haves. Given the decent performance on tap, this TT returns excellent fuel economy, necessitating less trips to the service station than the petrol models, even while being driven as hard. Its low emissions figure will appeal to company car buyers too.

Overall:

It's difficult to directly compare the TT TDI with any of the petrol models in the line-up. Audi doesn't sell a quattro version of the 2.0-litre petrol car so the TDI model sits alone in the range. Financial reasoning aside, it's the most polished execution of the TT yet, managing to be just as sporty as any of the other models (TTS aside), despite its extra frugality. It's the one we'd have.