BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (2014-2021) review
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is a 7 seat MPV with an upmarket feel, and it's reasonably fun to drive too
This is a review of a new 2014-2021 2 Series Gran Tourer. If you are interested in information about the latest BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, please follow the links provided.
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is a bigger, more practical version of the 2 Series Active Tourer MPV, adding an extra row of seats to what was already a very handy family car. The seven-seater benefits from a strong line-up of petrol and diesel engines that offer good levels of fuel efficiency and performance, while the badge on the front adds the kind of desirability rivals like the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer and Renault Grand Scenic struggle to match. This comes at a price though, as these alternatives are much cheaper and represent better value for money.
If you don’t want to give up on the idea of having a car that’s fun to drive, but you need something that’s big enough to fill the needs of a growing family, then the 2 Series Gran Tourer fits the bill perfectly.
About the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer
Since the introduction of the 2 Series Gran Tourer, BMW really can claim to offer a car for every occasion. Not happy with the five-seat Active Tourer, BMW introduced the seven-seat Gran Tourer at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, with sales starting just a few months later.
Aimed at people who think a Renault Grand Scenic, Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer or even a Volkswagen Touran is too mainstream, the 2 GT promises to be a car they not only need but one they actively desire.
However, in order to make a seven-seater compact, you first need a front-wheel-drive platform – and only relatively recently has BMW been brave enough to break with its rear-drive traditions. By using the MINI hatchback’s architecture, BMW is able to introduce a new range of compact cars giving it access to previously untapped segments. Four trims – SE, Sport, Luxury and M Sport – make up the range.
Engines range from the basic three-cylinder 216d diesel to the range-topping 220d with four-wheel drive. In between the two you’ll find a 218i and 220i petrol, as well as a 218d diesel.
The two more powerful diesels make up the bulk of sales, though it’s the lesser 216d that boast the most impressive fuel economy and emissions. Six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic gearboxes are on offer across the range. While there’s a plug-in hybrid version of the 2 Series Active Tourer, there’s no such option on the seven-seat Gran Tourer.
Engines, performance and drive
Up front, the seating position is surprisingly low for an MPV, which helps set the 2 Series GT apart from its less driver-focused rivals. The class-leading dynamics also help in this regard.
So long as you are not expecting the 2 GT to corner like a 3 Series, you’re likely to be impressed with the way it drives. Despite its front-wheel drive (there’s an all-wheel drive version but it only sends power to the rear when the fronts start to slip) and tall body, this people carrier still feels very much like a BMW in the way it steers, handles and rides.
You get the sense the oily bits underneath the skin are hewn from slightly sturdier stuff than in lesser rivals and that more time and money has been spent developing the car at the test track.
Still, they can appreciate the comfort at all speeds. The cabin is well insulated from outside noise and the suspension deals with bumps in that firm but fair, BMW way. Beware of M Sport trim though as combined with the larger wheels, the upgraded lowered and stiffened sports suspension does start to feel a little too harsh on rougher roads for a people mover - even when fitted with the optional adaptive dampers.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is powered by a range of petrol and diesel engines. Petrol models include the 218i, powered by the same 134bhp, 1.5-litre three-cylinder as the MINI hatchback. Another imported MINI engine is found in the 220i; a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder from the MINI Cooper S with 176bhp.
There are three diesel options: the 114bhp three-cylinder 216d, the 148bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the 218d, and a more powerful, 187bhp version of the same unit that’s offered in the 220d. Only the latter has the option of xDrive four-wheel drive.
The 216i, 216d and 218d are available with the choice of manual or automatic gearboxes; the other engines in the range are automatic-only.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer may be expensive to buy, but its fuel costs should be reasonable. The 218i and 220i petrols are relatively frugal: the former can manage as much as 44.1mpg (with a manual gearbox) and emits 144 to 148g/km of CO2 depending on wheel size and gearbox choice, while the latter manages up to 43.5mpg and emits 148-153g/km.
The 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel in the 220d is only available with an automatic gearbox and comes with the choice of four-wheel drive. This puts the BMW 2 GT in the same ballpark as the even more desirable, capable and practical Land Rover Discovery Sport. It returns up to 53.3mpg depending on spec, with emissions starting at 138g/km.
The 216d is rated at 53.3-55.4mpg and 130-139g/km of CO2; it feels capable despite its small 114bhp 1.5-litre diesel engine. Meanwhile the 148bhp 2.0-litre 218d, which promises up to 56.5mpg and CO2 starting from 130g/km, should offer the best blend of performance, economy and price.
Insurance Groups
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer occupies insurance groups 11 to 25, with the most powerful and highly specced models sitting in the upper end of that range. The BMW should therefore be marginally cheaper to insure than the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer, which starts in group 14 and climbs to group 25.
Depreciation
Our experts predict that the 2 Series Gran Tourer should hold onto around 44 to 47 per cent of its value after three years and 36,000 miles come trade-in time. This is considerably better than the 30 to 39 per cent predicted for its closest Citroen rival, the Grand C4 SpaceTourer – you can thank the cachet of the BMW badge for that.
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Interior, design and technology
Despite being its most family friendly car, BMW has tried to make the 2 Series Gran Tourer look as sporting as possible – albeit with limited success. Its slightly raked profile is less bland than the van-like Volkswagen Touran but there’s only so much you can do with a car which can seat seven people.
Better to take Citroen’s ‘if you can’t hide it flaunt it’ approach which works so well with the futuristic-looking Grand C4 SpaceTourer. Still the trademark BMW grille and familiar tail lamp design leaves onlookers in no doubt that the 2 GT is a premium model.
This theme continues inside. The well-made cabin oozes with BMW’s familiar avant-garde luxury. There is a selection of different trims to choose from, but most people will find the entry level SE more than adequate.
The Gran Tourer improves markedly once you’re behind the wheel. You get a hi-res sat-nav screen as standard, while build quality is first-rate and the layout is easy to get along with once you’re used to BMW’s minimalist button labelling. The steering wheel feels chunky and sporty in your hands, and the iDrive controller makes it easy to navigate through the assorted functions on the dash-top screen.
Other standard features on the most basic SE trim include LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic, dual-zone air-con, cruise control and Bluetooth connectivity.
Elsewhere, all models get an electrically operated tailgate, and there are buttons in the boot to fold the back seats. The mechanisms themselves feel robust, but the two seat-back trays seem a little flimsy. Each one is mounted in a grooved spine in the middle of the front seat-back, and they’re easily moved from left to right, although the runners feel like they could easily break if they’re pushed or pulled too far.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer uses the last generation of BMW's excellent infotainment system – BMW Operating System 6.0 rather than 7.0 – but is still perfectly serviceable and far better to use than rival systems from Citroen and Renault. Android Auto is notable by its absence, but Apple CarPlay connectivity is standard along with DAB radio, sat-nav and access to BMW ConnectedDrive online services for 12 months.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
Large rear doors and a middle row of seats with a quick tilt and slide function aid access to the very back of the 2 Series GT; once inside, there is easily enough room for smaller children. In fact, by sliding the middle row forward and reclining the seat backs slightly, we found it possible to configure the car so that you can carry seven average sized adults in relative comfort – for shorter journeys at least.
Being available with all-wheel drive means the Gran Tourer has to make room for a propshaft to send power to the rear wheels and so there’s a transmission tunnel which eats into foot space for the central middle seat – a problem you don’t get on the Citroen. Thankfully it’s not too intrusive and overall this is a very well thought out car.
Plenty of thought has gone into packaging too. There are cup holders between the rearmost chairs while the back door pockets can hold a 1.5-litre bottle as can the fronts. The glove box is a reasonable size and there’s under-seat storage in the front and middle row. But as ever with BMW you can pay more if you want more.
Other practical extras include height adjustable and removable picnic tables, which use a bracket that can be replaced by iPad holders if you do a lot of long-distance driving with the family in tow.
Dimensions and size
The Gran Tourer has an extra 12cm between the wheels and a further 9cm in the boot over the 2 Series Active Tourer. The extra length has freed up room for a third row of two small chairs which can be folded out of the boot floor at the pull of a slightly fiddly lever.
Leg room, head room and passenger space
It helps that BMW has raised the middle row of seats up slightly over the Active Tourer so those in the very back can just about slide their feet under the chairs in front. Because of this, the Gran Tourer’s roof is raised by 5cm to ensure that even with the optional panoramic sunroof fitted there’s still enough headroom.
Room in the middle row is adequate too so three can sit abreast. However, unlike with a Citroen C4 Grand SpaceTourer, the chairs aren’t all the same size. Instead there’s a 40:20:40 split with a narrower centre seat, so it’s best to sit the smallest person in here for longer journeys. That said, three ISOFIX child seats mounts are standard on all models.
Boot space
With the rear seats in place there’s a little room for a couple of soft bags (145 litres), but with them stowed the boot space increases to 560 litres – less than a Volkswagen Touran (927-litres) but a little more than Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer (537-litres). This extends to 720 litres with the middle row in its most forward position.
At the flick of a switch, the middle row electrically flops down and its carrying capacity grows to 1,820 litres – a figure which trumps every other BMW apart from the marginally larger X5. A load bay that’s almost completely flat and has no load lip boosts practicality further as does the easy-to-remove parcel shelf, which can be stored under a hidden compartment in the boot floor.
If you regularly need to carry really long items, you can option the folding front passenger seat, which folds flat to give 2.6 meters through-load capacity. Go for the electric front seats though and you lose this feature.
Reliability and safety
The 2 Series Gran Tourer did not feature in the 2021 Driver Power Survey, but BMW itself finished 21st overall out of 29 manufacturers. Its MINI-based underpinnings should prove reliable, but our survey revealed that a significant percentage of owners report problems with their cars.
Euro NCAP has yet to crash test the 2 Series Gran Tourer, but the smaller, very similar 2 Series Active Tourer achieved a full complement of five stars, with an 84 per cent adult occupant rating. BMW has fitted all models with a pedestrian warning with city braking function which not only warns the driver of a potential accident but will automatically apply the brakes to minimise the severity of any collision or even prevent one entirely.
Warranty
BMW offers an unlimited-mileage, three-year warranty on all its cars. This can be extended at extra cost if required.
Servicing
BMW offers a pay-monthly servicing plan for the 2 Series Gran Tourer to help spread the cost of maintenance, with £20 a month over three years unlocking two services plus fluid top-ups, an MOT and sat-nav map updates, among other things. Expect this to work out more expensive than it would to service an equivalent offering from the class below.
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