The one-volume front-wheel-drive BMW is no longer sensational today: just a year ago, the imagination of motorists was amazed at the introduction of a “familiy” on the market. BMW Active Tourer. And the first path made by this "pioneer" in this direction rolls to the state of the highway BMW 2 Grand Tourer. "Gran" means big. But apart from the more impressive size compared to its predecessor, Grand Tourer endowed with a mass of original features. Comparison Grand Tourer with a seven-seater “bus”, is not only a metaphor, it actually looks that way, but at the same time we have to admit that the “kupene” in its forms is much less than sportiness. And it is this that puzzles at first, and then leads to enthusiastic estimates of the work of designers and assemblers.

The Active Tourer had eleven centimeters less wheelbase, its body was twenty-one centimeters shorter, it would seem that there was little difference, but these centimeters turned Grand Tourer in at the same time and solid and fast car that behaves on the road, especially when cornering, much more stable than its predecessor. Front Grand Tourer bumper has air ducts designed to cool the brake system. And this is not a sham, but a real functional feature. The central display allows real-time evaluation of the condition of vehicle components: power, thrust, pressure indicators in each of the four wheels, etc. Equipped with a gas motor for 192 horses Grand Tourer can dial a hundred in a little more than seven seconds.

The Active Tourer is better suited for young athletes, and the Grand Tourer is a family car. The third row of seats is designed for children. Grand Tourer is produced in a five-seater configuration, in this case the cabin has 645 “baggage” liters of volume, while the Active Tourer had 468l. Seven-Seater Gran has a trunk for 560 liters. Although if you fold the chairs of the third and second rows, the volume of space useful for any family junk will be 1,905 liters. More spacious cars under the brand BMW does not exist.

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The “basketball player” driver will feel very comfortable in the Grand Tourer’s cabin, since there are almost six centimeters above the head than from its predecessor. The review is quite decent, however, it is spoiled by excessively wide roof pillars, which, when driving in urban conditions, will force the driver to peek out because of them.

The difference in the cost of the Grand Tourer and Active Tourer is in favor of the latter only a thousand European money. No one is going to say about whether these models will be delivered to Russia. But even with a positive decision of the management of the auto concern, one can hardly expect them to appear in this year. The crisis has not yet been canceled.

Competitors in this car in our car market can be Citroen Grand Picasso, Toyota Verso. Rest compact minivans either they left our market because of the crisis, or they are no longer produced at all.