Van tourer

THE arrival of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer would be more exciting if not for its unexciting styling. The first front-wheel-driven model to wear a BMW badge gets a utilitarian one-box mini-MPV body - in other words, totally different from the sporty ultra-compact coupe that it shares the 2 Series nameplate with.

Slightly longer than a 1 Series hatchback and a bit taller than an X1 crossover, the compact Active Tourer is a foray into a brand new segment by the brand whose cars have, until now, adhered to the classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.

The 4.3-metre-long minivan is 1.59 metres tall with a roomy interior. It is based on BMW's new flexible front-wheel-drive architecture which maximises cabin space with a small footprint.