BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer vs. VW Touran II

Last year, BMW shocked the world with their first-ever front-wheel drive recreational vehicle, the 2-Series Active Tourer, and while this front-wheel drive BMW shocked us because its dynamics are not what you expect for a BMW, this MPV is made for breadwinners and soccer moms in mind. Be warned though that this MPV is just getting started because BMW will soon plague the lineup with some front-wheel drive cars soon and now, there's another front-wheel drive Bimmer spawned to the mix.

2016 BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer

At first glance, this is just like the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer but now, it's longer and added two more seats on the inside. This is the new 2-Series Gran Tourer and this seven-seater version feels...hmmm...so all right for a family mover. When people drove the Active Tourer last year, most of the comments seem to be all right because even though it's a front-wheel drive BMW that every fan in the world wouldn't want one in their collection, it's a well-behaved, well-mannered multipurpose passenger vehicle that is well suited for family use. One clever joke I read from the pages of history that with cars like these, you can carry more girls than your Lamborghini, and the case is true for the Gran Tourer because this is a seven-seater MPV that has decent legroom, decent space at the boot, and decent choice of engines.

Engine choices include a turbocharged 1.5L petrol engine, turbocharged 2.0L petrol engine, 1.5L turbo diesel engine, and a 2.0L turbo diesel engine, and depending on engine choices, it can be mated with either a 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, and an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Sure, like the Active Tourer, the Gran Tourer is utilized he same UKL1 platform as the new Mini, and thanks to the fact of being a front-wheel drive MPV, the handling is pretty much like this...

2016 Volkswagen Touran

The handling of the BMW Gran Tourer has about a similar handling characteristic as this MPV in store; the all-new VW Touran. Yes, this is just a VW Golf underneath but the Touran, like the Gran Tourer, is a seven-seater MPV with a choice of either a 1.4 TSi or a 1.6 TDi engine but let's keep it short about the handling because this is definitely how the new BMW Gran Tourer behaves because just like that, it's a front-wheel drive MPV that tends to handle like a granny holding a grocery cart for a few hours now. They don't feel sporty even with clever suspension design, they feel comfortable in the feels of passengers, and above all, they're well behaved to be people's cars for everyday use.

Both the new Gran Tourer and the new Touran are behaved to be good cars that not to be thrashed around the streets but what differentiates them both is the pricing because the Gran Tourer starts at 26,950 Euros while the new Touran starts at 23,350 Euros, three grand more, but either way, you sure you wouldn't want to drive either of those unless you are trapped in the world of married couples growing up with kids. If you did, sorry to say, you have to resort driving in either of those soccer mom cars.