BMW 2 Series Active / Gran Tourer Review

£23,255 – £34,585

What We Say :

"BMW brand diversification continues. A pricey people carrier, but a cut above"

What Is It :

A potential controversy. BMW has built its reputation on rear-drive sports saloons that flatter and satisfy those who relish driving. This, though, is a people carrier with five or seven seats (called Active Tourer or Gran Tourer, respectively) that’s natively front- and optionally all-wheel drive. We doubt those spitting feathers would ever consider one, though, and those who couldn’t care less will be smitten by the badge and quality. Bingo, goes BMW: an entirely new sector of customers for us to tap into.

Driving :

The driving position is unmistakably MPV, as you look through a tall window from a tall seat. But controversial or not, there’s something about the blue’n’white propeller that reassures you about the mechanicals beneath.
And they are good: it’s no sports car, naturally, but the steering and body control are a notable step away from the Scenics and Zafiras of this world. There’s neutral handling and relatively little roll.
Is this important? Arguably not, and when the family are all on board, there may be grumbles about the rather firm ride, which is a clear hint at BMW’s sporty history, but not so good for queasy toddlers.
The engines are great, though, with the frugal 218d diesel doing the sensible stuff most want from a car like this, and the punchier 220d and even a 225i petrol – with 228bhp – serving those who actually want to enjoy driving a people carrier. Just be aware, you might find the 216d and three-pot 218i a bit meek when fully laden.

On The Inside :

The good news is the BMW badge is backed up by quality, and the fit, finish and general aura of the family-friendly 2-Series is once again distanced from the usual fare of this class. Step from a Zafira into this, and you really will feel like you’ve stepped up a class.
It’s not as practical as some rivals, though; the Active Tourer houses five people nicely, but it stops short of being the ultimate holdall thanks to a floor that’s not entirely flat with the seats flipped down.
The Gran Tourer is longer and taller, adding an additional two seats that fold up from the boot floor. Beyond a five-minute journey, they’re really for kids only, and the boot won’t swallow much with them in use. But if it’s a posh wagon you want for school run duties, it’s mostly up to task.

 Owning :

Strong brands ask strong money, and this predictably sits in the upper echelons of the people carrier world. Pick a big engine and tick a few nice boxes and you’ll top £40k with dizzying ease - restrain yourself from all those tech-tastic options never previously offered on more mainstream fare…
The flipside is how well BMW, and its Efficient Dynamics gubbins, balance performance and economy. Few do it better. And with a strong brand comes strong residuals…

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