Things are changing in the automotive world. Luca di Montezemolo used to say 7,000 units a year was plenty for Ferrari and that the exclusivity of the brand was priority. He’s only been gone five minutes and there’s talk of 10,000 sales a year. Porsche claimed it’d never make a diesel. Well, the oil-burning Panamera, Cayenne and Macan have made major impacts in markets around the world. Ah, but you can always count on BMW and its unyielding, rear-wheel-drive ways. It’s power to the back or all-fours or nothing from the Bavarians, right?
Not anymore. What we have here, joining the premium compact segment, is the 2 Series Active Tourer — or more commonly referred to as the company’s first-ever front-wheel-drive car. Sacrilege! Apparently, this won’t be the last either. Oh dear. Before making any rash conclusions, we’d better give the newbie the once-over.
First of all, this 2 Series has nothing in common with the 2 Series Coupé; it’s more of a fatter 1 Series and shares its platform with Mini. It’s hardly a looker but at least there’s some familiarity here with the rest of the brood, with the forward-slanting kidney grille flanked by the distinctive twin circular headlights (with daytime running LEDs) — but the profile takes some getting used to.
Then again, none of these MPVs look entirely happy. Not even the B-Class can pull it off aesthetically. They lack pizzazz but the Active Tourer gives it a go with a deep character line that sweeps across from the A-pillar to the taillights. The short front overhang — a classic BMW styling cue — is unusual for a front-wheel-drive car and the rear end mimics the hunkier X5.
But, the doors are so tall that when you swing them open, they come dangerously close to whacking you in the face. They also feel rather tinny when slammed shut, as does the rest of the body.
It makes up for all of that with a practical, comfortable and spacious interior. With a wheelbase of 2,670mm and that raised roof, it enables the space inside to be maximised. It’s very roomy in there, with front-seat passengers enjoying a high seating position, and the driver’s chair offering a commanding view all-round. Three adults can sit comfortably in the back as there’s more than enough head, shoulder and leg room that’d make long distances a breeze.
There’s also a wealth of storage facilities scattered around the premium cabin, which is bathed by plenty of light from the large windows and particularly the optional panoramic roof, making it feel even more spacious.
The 468-litre boot grows to an impressive 1,510 when you flick a pair of switches to drop the second row flat, while a foldable floor conceals yet another storage compartment. Access to the back has been made easy too with a wide-opening power tailgate.
On the tech front, you get plenty as standard; the obligatory iDrive control, a 6.5in display, a leather sports steering wheel and safety systems including collision warning with city braking function and a rain sensor with automatic headlight activation to name but a few. Our 225i had more goodies in the shape of a reversing camera that relayed a crystal-clear image and a colour head-up display. So, the Active Tourer has space, comfort and some impressive kit to boot. There’s got to be a catch, surely? There is: torque steer.
The very mention of the phenomena in a BMW is unprecedented. Under heavy throttle, it veers to either the left or right, which plays havoc with the otherwise nicely weighted (electromechanical — BMW does them well) steering, with paddle shifters. Once it subsides and you’ve wrestled the car back into your lane, it offers a very smooth and comfortable ride.
With its brawny torque and lively revving characteristics, the barely audible new four-cylinder petrol engine is pretty tasty. The top-of-the-range turbocharged 2.0-litre motor packs 231bhp from 5,000rpm and 350Nm of torque between 1,250-4,500rpm. Mated to an eight-speed auto (less would be more in manual mode), it can do the 0-100kph sprint in a brisk 6.6 seconds and has a top speed of 240kph. And there are three driving modes to select from — Sport, Comfort and EcoPro.
It isn’t as bad as the purists want it to be and handles a bit like a tall Mini (the high centre of gravity doesn’t help) and is obviously aimed at those who don’t really care if an ‘M’ car should be a manual or automatic, or are interested in the merits of rear-wheel drive. People who buy this are going to do so because they want a car with the blue and white roundel parked in their drive.
It doesn’t feel like a proper BMW and this one isn’t the ultimate driving machine. We never thought the day would come, but it has. Things are changing — are you going to embrace it?
This story first appeared on wheels in December 2014
