First drive reviews: BMW 2-series Active Tourer

[Zafiro]

On the road, the car is fundamentally sound but perhaps lacks the fluidity of the best front-drive rivals.

It handles neatly and is easy to place in corners. The steering is weighty and quite pointy in an attempt to give the car a traditional BMW flavour, and it’s none the worse for that. In ‘Sports’ mode, however, the steering is probably overweighted, especially at lower speeds.

The Active Tourer’s ride was fine on Austria’s roads, even on relatively low-profile tyres. Overall, it is tuned to feel quite direct and involving for the driver, though trying to make its first front-drive car ‘feel like a BMW’ may have resulted in a compromised result.

More: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review...-series-active-tourer-218d-first-drive-review

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C&D review
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-bmw-2-series-active-tourer-first-drive-review

MT
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1407_2016_bmw_2_series_active_tourer_first_drive/

 

[KiwiRob]

Interesting review from Autocar.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review...-series-active-tourer-218d-first-drive-review

Should I buy one?
Even though the driving experience isn’t outstanding and there is question about this combination of diesel engine and manual 'box, that is not to write the Active Tourer off by any means.

Specified as the 218i, with three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and six-speed automatic gearbox, virtually all of these refinement and drivability issues would be swept away, and without a great penalty in fuel economy.

The Active Tourer is built to a premium standard, has a first-rate interior and is cleverly packaged for the city streets. The wide range of engines and transmissions (including three- and four-cylinder turbo petrols, six- and eight-speed automatic gearboxes and, later this year, four-wheel drive) among which will certainly be class-leading combinations.