BMW 2-Series Active Tourer – Say hello to the dullest BMW ever

BMW likes to go around telling everyone that they that they produce the ultimate driving machines. Well in fairness that’s true about some of their models – there’s not much to complain about when it comes to the M cars, or even some of their more mundane models. But the all-new 2-Series Active Tourer, really is pretty boring for BMW. It’s the company’s first compact minivan, and also the first to use a front-wheel-drive platform.

The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer has been designed for practicality, versatility and economy, but not desirability. It features a newly developed chassis, a lightweight body and a range of small-displacement 3 and 4 cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

The models available from launch will include the 218i Active Tourer powered by a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine producing 136hp, and the 218d which features a 4-cylinder diesel engine.

Later the lineup will be expanded to include the range-topping 228 horsepower 225i , as well as the 220i, 216d, 220d and 220d xDrive Active Tourer models.

The standard transmission is a newly developed six-speed manual unit. Optionally, in conjunction with the three-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission can be specified. For the four-cylinder engine, a new eight-speed automatic transmission has been developed, which is specially adapted to take account of the front-wheel-drive configuration and the transverse engine.

The exterior styling of the car is okay. Not particularly great, but also not ugly. The sort of buyers BMW will be targeting with the 2-Series Active Tourer probably won’t be put off by the plain appearance of the car. They’ll probably be far more excited about the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats which also have a recline function and can be slid backward and forward to create more or less rear cargo space. Actually, that sounds quite clever…