Built upon the same front-wheel drive UKL Platform found in the new MINI Cooper, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer had BMW purists crying foul over its decision to build a front-wheel drive model, the first ever in BMW's 96-year history. After all, why make a front-wheel drive model when the rear-wheel drive formula has worked so well?



 
But why not? Given how close the market share fight is between the luxury manufacturers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, its little surprise that BMW is opting to broaden its product range beyond the coupes, convertibles, sedans and, more recently, SUVs which customers know and love.

And its latest offering is a family friendly Active Tourer Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV), a practical people mover that's aimed at young families looking for the prestige of a luxury marque with the practicality of a roomier cabin - the same audience courted by Mercedes-Benz's B-Class compact MPV.

Exterior

Contrary to its rear-wheel driven cousins in BMW's lineup, and like most MPVs, the Active Tourer won't have you purring over its looks. That said, if looks really mattered, you wouldn't even be considering an MPV.

At the front end, BMW's signature kidney grilles don't have the width to stretch out and end up looking stumpy. Fortunately, the car's got a pair of sharply styled LED head lights that'll draw your focus away from the nose and towards a muscular rear end that bears resemblance to SUVs like the X3.



 
And at 4,342mm long, 1,800mm wide and 1,555mm tall, the Active Tourer is ideally sized for the city, easing well into the narrow streets and manoeuvring easily within tight multi-storey car park ramps and confined parking spaces.