2023 Audi TTS Coupe

The original Audi TT wowed the world when it burst onto the automotive scene in the late '90s. In the two subsequent generations, Audi has modernized its iconic design without taking away its instantly-identifiable character. That remains true of the 2023 Audi TTS, which forms the middle ground of the third-generation sports car lineup below the full-fat TT RS. While competitors of the Audi TTS have evolved - the Nissan Z now solidly outguns the Audi - others like the Toyota GR Supra and Porsche 718 Cayman are still within reach of Audi's junior sports car. With its 288-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and quattro AWD system, it remains quick, but the rivals are formidable, and the TTS Coupe might struggle to make an impression without an obvious USP to sway buyers. If you've set your heart set on one, your time is running out, though, because it looks like the 2023 model year might be the TT's last.

With a single model in the lineup, the pricing of the TTS is relatively simple. The base price of the Audi starts at $61,900. This makes it slightly more affordable than the 718 Cayman ($63,400) but vastly more expensive than the Toyota GR Supra 2.0 ($43,540). The price of the Audi TTS coupe is exclusive of the $1,095 destination fee.

The TTS is still fun to drive, even after all these years. It doesn't set any new standards, but there is lots of grip, mid-corner ruts and ridges fail to upset it, and it flies through the bends with quick responses and a sense of fun, partly because it's lighter than most of its rivals at less than 3,200 pounds. This is no lairy tail-out rear-wheel-drive muscle car, though, and you'll enjoy it more for its unshakable composure, pleasingly comfortable ride, and quattro grip on any surface.

The turbo four-pot may deliver just 288 hp and 280 lb-ft, but with its lithe frame and rapid-fire seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, this is still enough to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in a swift 4.4 seconds, although it has to be said that most rivals are faster nowadays. The rather lifeless steering, that slightly nose-heavy feel, and the lack of a manual transmission are reminders that it's no hardcore sportster. It sits on the familiar MQB platform after all, with a front-biased AWD system, just like an A3.

Audi has done enough to keep the 2023 TTS Coupe kicking - and sales ticking over - even at the end of a long production run. If you just want a swift, stylish coupe with grippy handling and an elegant interior, you can do worse. However, at a starting price of around $61,000, its case looks feeble, and a review of the Audi TTS Coupe's rivals will demonstrate why. The 3.0-liter performance coupes from Toyota and Nissan massively undercut it on price - and offer you the tantalizing option of a manual transmission. It might be faster and $2,000 cheaper than a base 718 Cayman, but it cannot touch the mid-engined Porsche's class-leading handling prowess either. However, the real eye-opener has to be that you can get a 490-hp mid-engined C8 Corvette for that same $2,000 premium over a TTS Coupe. The Corvette blows the Audi out of the water in terms of performance and is a hardcore, mid-engined sports car with dramatic styling and a real sense of occasion that the Audi cannot hope to emulate. Amid these odds, the latest Audi TTS Coupe is now beyond its sell-by date.

With just one model available, choosing the TTS is really easy. Still, we'd spec it with the Mythos Black color for the exterior, the red leather upholstery, and the Competition package, resulting in a final price of $65,790 including the destination charge. Alternatively, the new Bronze package looks really distinctive and will make your TTS stand out from the crowd for a relatively modest outlay that takes the final price of the TTS up to $64,840. This package can only be had with Glacier White, Chronos Gray, or Mythos Black and shows off the bronze wheels to best effect in Mythos Black.