Mother Proof's view

It was just another Friday evening. My husband and I finished our respective workdays and waved goodbye to our son, whom we’d left behind in the arms of my loving in-laws. We hopped into our Audi TT convertible, drove to the country club, played a couple sets of tennis, showered, hopped back in the car and drove off to dinner at a posh new restaurant downtown. That’s just how we roll.

OK, so maybe it was our first date night in months, the car doesn’t actually belong to us, my in-laws flaked on baby-sitting so we had to call my parents and beg for last-minute assistance (which they happily provided), the country club was actually a public park, we only played one set of tennis because I’m so out of shape (though I did play well, if I do say so myself), we didn’t even shower before dinner and we ended up eating at a local joint just a stone’s throw from our house (which has very good food, mind you). We were home by 9 and in bed by 10. That’s how we really roll, but while that TT may only have been ours for my two-week test drive, having it in my hot little hands motivated my hubba hubby and me to get out and live it up – tired-suburban-parents-on-a-budget style.

When I was driving this car I felt younger, cooler, faster, more in love, more fashionable-just better. Even though I love my life (usually), the TT made me feel like my existence was far more glam and exciting than it actually is. Besides going out on a date with my husband, I did other crazy things when I had this car. I drove to a grocery store that was totally out of my way, I went cruising up and down city streets with the music blaring and the wind blowing through my hair (well, through my ponytail; if I’d left it down it would have been in my face). I may even have been guilty of singing at the top of my lungs, not caring that there was a carload of teenagers blatantly making fun of me. Oh well, they were driving a crap car. Jealous much, kids?

The TT roadster is quite possibly the most impractical car for me to have at this point in my life, which is part of what makes it so alluring. My son couldn’t ride in there because there’s no backseat, meaning there’s no place to put his rear-facing car seat. (Latch connectors for a forward-facing seat are available in the passenger seat in a pinch, after turning off the airbag, of course.) The car’s “storage space” barely fit my big handbag, let alone his stroller. But guess what? That’s the point! This is a car in which adults are supposed to get out, toss their worries aside and live it up. Trust me when I tell you it’s worth it.

In addition to the wonderfully sexy impracticality of this car, it has many other boast-worthy qualities. It feels like you’re driving a racecar; it’s low to the ground, picks up speed faster than I throw my son’s toys into the closet, and it turns on a dime. I’ve never been able to say that about a car I’ve driven before, so I’m tickled to use it with complete license here! The ride is so smooth 80 mph feels like 30, and because I drove this car during one of those great Colorado weekends – Saturday was 80 degrees and sunny and Sunday brought snow and freezing temps – I can confirm that this car performs equally well in both beautiful and not-so-beautiful weather, thanks to its Quattro all-wheel drive.

Truth be told, however, it’s much more fun to drive in beautiful weather, because it’s with the top down that this car really starts to rock. The top is crazy easy to operate. There’s no latching and unlatching the top from the front windshield and waiting five minutes for everything to be done. Just press a button in the center console and in a matter of seconds (I swear it did not even take a minute) the top glides into place. So there I was, top down, music blaring (the stereo was fab, by the way), driving around aimlessly while seriously hoping to bump into someone I knew. I never did, but I’m sure random strangers on the street thought I was pretty cool.

The TT is cute in a perfectly non-cutesy, totally cool way, with rounded edges that feel ultra-modern. It’s small but not embarrassingly teeny, and it always manages to provide a feeling of safety. The interior is sleek, with brushed silver framing everything from the speedometer to the whateverometer on the dash. The seats are covered in such a buttery-smooth leather I wish I could put it on my couch.

As much love as I have for this car, there were a couple of small things that bothered me. Despite the adjustable steering wheel, its placement always obscures my view of the gas gauge. I’m the type of person who will run out of gas promptly if I can’t see the gauge easily and often (even with the warning signals cars send out), so I need to see that! Also, the seat belts are a bit tough to get to. I had to contort my torso almost 180 degrees to reach them. I haven’t been doing as much yoga as I’d like lately, so that move hurt (and still kind of does, come to think of it). Also, the cupholders are a bit on the small side – i.e., they have trouble holding a regular 12-ounce bottle of water.

All that said, that old adage “love is blind” is what comes to mind. The TT proves to me that concept is true. I can overlook those small things because the rest of the car is so delectable. I wanted to live in the TT while I had it so I could soak up every last wonderful bit of it. But alas, the time came when I had to give it up. My husband and I haven’t been on a date since. I’m sad, and I don’t know if it’s because the romance or the roadster is gone. Maybe it’s both.

*For more information on the 2008 Audi TT and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 1

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 2

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Not Really

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On

Specs

2008 Audi TT

Base price: $44,500

Price as tested: $46,975

Engine: 200-hp, 2.0-liter I-4

Fuel: 17/24 mpg

Length: 164.5″

Width: 72.5″

Turning Radius: 18.0′

Cargo space: 8.8 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: n/a

Passenger’s side: n/a

Side Impact

Front occupant: n/a

Rear occupant: n/a

Rollover resistance: n/a