BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer review - Interior, design and technology
The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer isn't the best-looking BMW, but it's extremely well-built
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.
