A few years ago, it could have been a BMW driver's absolute nightmare: A seven-seat, tall-roof people mover, with a three-cylinder engine that sends its power to the front wheels. Built to please kids and "responsible" families, said vehicle would be fitted with third-row seating, interactive apps that display kid-safe programs, and a bike rack.
Now, it's a reality—in Europe, at least.
Meet the latest addition to the 2-series family: the 2-Series Gran Tourer. At 179.3 inches long, 70.9 inches wide and 63.3 inches tall, it is both longer and stands significantly taller than the 2-series Active Tourer, a European-market front-driver that competes directly with the Mercedes-Benz B-class and a number of entries from France, Japan, and Korea.
While the Active Tourer is a five-seater, the Gran Tourer is an even taller derivative that features a stretched wheelbase in order to accommodate a miserly third row of seats. BMW USA insists it's not slated for a U.S. launch, but count us among the skeptics.
The 2-Series Gran Tourer's platform brings along some performance credentials—after all, it also underpins the new Mini, and no one calls that car clumsy or lacking in agility. The chassis works well with the Active Tourer, where it is set up to provide a better ride with a bit of tradeoff in performance, and we fully expect the 2-series Gran Tourer to be a pleasant driver that conveys the agility and precision expected of BMW.
In Europe, the 2-Series Gran Tourer will come with a wide choice of three- and four-cylinder engines. The entry-level three-cylinder diesel starts at a pedestrian 114 horsepower; the top spot, for the time being, is shared by two four-cylinder engines. The 220d xDrive features a 187-horsepower diesel with all-wheel drive, and the 190-horsepower 220i has a gasoline engine and front-wheel drive. All models come with a 6-speed manual transmission, and conventional automatic transmissions are optional.
BMW knows how to make an extra dollar, and customers wishing to avoid the rather stark base trim can opt for one of four extra-cost packages: Advantage, Luxury Line, Sport Line, and—yes, indeed—M Sport. We'll hold our breath for the appearance of a full-on M model.
All of the Gran Tourer models can be fitted with kid-friendly options, like the myKIDIO entertainment system. It offers tailor-made programs for underage passengers, who can be monitored by their parents, and it offers essential information such as speed, outside temperature, and estimated arrival time. The last car in which we saw this kind of information transmitted to the back was the Maybach 62.
Our insight:
The people mover segment is too attractive for BMW to pass up; it is consistently strong in Europe and the U.S., and growing rapidly in Asia. Maybe you don't want to drive it yourself, but when your partner needs a car for the family, ask yourself what would you rather have in your garage next to that M4: A people mover with a kidney grille, or one without?
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?
