Audi and Mercedes-Benz’s first attempts to enter the minivan ended in failure. As good as A2 and the first A-Class were in aspects such as build quality or fuel efficiency, they were considered too different from what people used to expect from these companies (not to mention flaws such as the first one’s price and the other’s safety). And since both of them were released alone, it was just a matter of time for the aforementioned process to take place. After that, only the second maker decided to give it another try, although using a different name. BMW, in turn, spent this entire time watching its rivals from afar. The Bavarians learned from their mistakes, and now seem to have become tired of seeing B-Class taking the entire “upscale compact minivan” niche alone.
In other words, not only did they release Active Tourer to seduce the exact same buyers, as they are now expanding their offer with a seven-seater variation, in order to snatch those who have been frustrated by Mercedes-Benz. Gran Tourer is essentially a long-wheelbase variation of BMW’s very first front-wheel-drive vehicle, but it promises to offer enough elements to create a personality of its own. Some of them lie at the exterior, thanks to a whole different look starting at the rear doors. While AT strives to look sporty-ish, GT’s 210-mm longer profile is completely okay with the role of family hauler. Items such as bigger rear windows and more horizontal roofline aid to a much more conservative look, very much like what Citroën does with its C4 Picasso duo.
However, you’ll find even more interesting news inside. All the seats have individual division, which means BMW allows you to fold only the ones you want. But while Gran Tourer’s biggest feature is the existance of the third row, the second one has a great reason to get back the spotlights: besides its sliding adjustment, it’s wide enough to carry three child seats abreast – you can’t do this in many minivans. Along with all that, there are foldable tables mounted at the seat backs, a plethora of storage areas of several shapes and sizes, and the myKIDIO application: the driver can connect children’s electronic devices to the vehicle, such as tablets, and stream family-friendly content for them to watch on these screens. The intention is to make long trips enjoyable to both parents and kids.
When it comes to tech specs, the differences vanish. Gran Tourer is based on the very same platform which already underpins Active Tourer and the new Mini Cooper. If this means there won’t be rear-wheel-drive or big engines, it also accounts for a much more pleasant handling than what is found on most minivans. Powertrain options will be a three-cylinder 1.5 and four-cylinder 2.0, both with gasoline or diesel. Their various power and torque figures range from 116 hp to 192 hp, the standard six-speed manual gearbox can be upgraded to an automatic with six or eight speeds, and all-wheel-drive will appear as optional. Trim levels are 216, 218 and 220 (“i” or “d”, depending on the fuel), and can be customized with Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport packages.