One of the least enthusiast-loved cars in BMW’s portfolio is also one that customers seem to love — the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. Mock it all you want for being a small van but the first-gen model sold surprisingly well, enough to get a second generation. Said second generation was just spotted doing some testing at the Nurburgring and it seems as if BMW put some real effort into improving it. (We don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here)
The new 2 Series Active Tourer looks drastically different than before, with a much larger grille, new headlights, a sleeker profile, and an all new interior. To be honest, it looks pretty good so far, like a taller 1 Series hatchback. That’s good because it looks more like hot-hatch than a minivan this time around, which will lead more customers to buy it.
However the biggest improvement seems to be the interior. Inside the new 2 Series Active Tourer, you can see it gets the same new iDrive and digital instrument panel as the BMW iX. Both screens are connected and the iDrive screen is canted toward the driver. The steering wheel is also new, featuring a hexagonal center airbag cover and a three-spoke design. On the center console, you can see that the typical BMW shift lever was replaced with a toggle, much like modern Audis, with a physical volume roller next to it.
Most of the dash is covered with black wrapping, so we can’t see the space above the central air vent. Though, I’m really hoping that there are some physical HVAC controls underneath because the only ones I see are digital, at the bottom of the iDrive screen. BMW must have seen all the criticism Audi got for switching to touchscreen HVAC controls and though, “Yes, let’s do that.” Thankfully, if they are only digital, it seems that they will be in a fixed location at the bottom of the screen, accessible regardless of which menu is being used, and semi-simple to use.
Overall, though, the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer seems to be promising. With its sportier look and techier cabin, it will likely be a car that a lot of customers enjoy. Even younger, more enthusiasts customers might buy it, now that it looks better, as it’s a great car for young families.
[Source: Car Scoops] [Images by @wilcoblok]
