BMW 2 Series Active Tourer: The Family That Understands

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 05:39

Technology? Children are rarely interested in such a thing. You want something else: space. BMW offers something like this with the 2 Series Active Tourer - or if it should be one size larger with the Gran Tourer.

The Munich-based company brought this model onto the market three years ago - and then with a front-wheel drive that had long been frowned upon. The now due facelift shows how right the Munich team were. Because there was little change.

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Even after the facelift, the only real family car from the Munich-based company is still looking for the perfect compromise between everyday use and sportiness. In terms of design, the van is now pushing itself a little more in the direction of the last-mentioned pole: the grille kidney is a little larger and more present, the front and rear aprons are modeled a little tighter. And at the rear, all four-cylinder models now have two powerful tailpipes in place of the previously lonely single exhaust on some models. There are also two new body colors, six new rims and a slightly refurbished cockpit with the brand's latest infotainment generation.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer with Euro 6d temp

The drive program of the 2 Series Active Tourer has also been gently revised. The focus was on adapting to the new Euro-6d-temp emissions standard: all petrol engines now have a soot filter, while the diesels are all equipped with SCR catalysts. A few extra horsepower also jumped out, so that the power spectrum of the gasoline engine now ranges from 109 hp for the 1.5-liter three-cylinder to 231 hp for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder (Active Tourer only). The four-cylinder diesels with a displacement of 1.5 and 2.0 liters also cover a range from 116 hp to 190 hp, and a plug-in hybrid with 165 kW / 224 hp system output is still available as a fuel-saving alternative. A completely new addition to the range is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which replaces the optional six-speed automatic converter in the smaller engines.

What was an upset three years ago, at least in interested circles, now only causes a shrug: the BMW untypical front-wheel drive. You can safely forget the reservations about driving dynamics: at least in its segment, the 2-series van is the sportiest and most agile car. The tightly tuned body does not nod or roll, both when cornering and when accelerating or braking courageously, the BMW rests in what feels like its center and looks like a compact hatchback sedan despite the higher center of gravity.

Direct steering is convincing

The directly coordinated steering turns the family excursion into the countryside into an enjoyable joyride, but can also appear a bit nervous at higher motorway speeds. If you are looking for a van for a long, leisurely motorway tour with a child, a cone and a full trunk, you will find better offers from the competition; if you don't want that, the BMW 2 Series Tourer will continue to serve you appropriately.

The weaknesses of the Munich family model are, at least in part, the downside of its positioning in the field of driving fun - and were not remedied during the lifting. Biggest drawback: The middle seat in the rear cannot actually be used. This is mainly due to the transmission tunnel, which is required for the optional all-wheel drive, which is actually superfluous for most customers. But apparently BMW still doesn't quite trust the pure front-wheel drive, so that now every middle seat user has to squeeze their feet left and right in the not particularly lush space under the driver and front passenger seats.

Children with shorter legs also sit badly because there are no Isofix fastenings in the middle and the belt anchorage is in the headliner. Basically, the Active Tourer becomes a four-seater. The Gran Tourer, which is a good 20 centimeters longer, offers a third row with two additional seats on request, which are easy to reach, but ultimately only acceptable as a permanent solution for small adults. In the course of the lifting, the much too bulky A-pillar also remains unchanged, which greatly reduces the driver's view when cornering and steering. The two basic shortcomings will therefore remain at least until the next model change.

No big concessions

The bottom line is that the two two-person vans are by far not the most practical models in their class. But the consistent positioning as a dynamic driving alternative to the VW Touran, Mercedes B-Class or Renault Scénic does not require any major concessions in everyday life from the standard family of four. And the fact that the van is the first BMW without standard rear-wheel drive is likely to annoy hard-core traditionalists in a family car.

The children on board don't care about the technical layout or the extremely high price level. Not even the basic model is available for less than 27,850 euros (Gran Tourer: 29,100 euros). In the end, it will be primarily grandchildren who take their seats in row two of the newly renovated BMW. While mom and dad are still saving on a used model. (SP-X)