2018 (68) BMW 2 Series 218i SE 5dr

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

BMW's 2 Series Gran Tourer was a seven-seat compact MPV built between 2015 and 2021 that offered a classier, more interesting alternative to a conventional Grand C-MAX or Grand Scenic-style People Carrier of this period. This appealing spin on ordinary family motoring attracted a ready audience amongst people who had never previously thought they'd be buying from this Munich maker. They didn't get 'the ultimate driving machine' here because BMW thought that wasn't what they need. Getting instead what may very well be 'the ultimate small people carrier' of its time though, suited many of them very well indeed. Let's check this model out as a used buy.

History

Traditional thinking has always assumed that buyers in search of a compact seven-seat MPV wouldn't be interested in a premium brand. Back in 2015 though, BMW decided that traditional thinking needed a bit of a shake-up - and brought us this car, the 2 Series Gran Tourer. This was a lengthened, more versatile version of the company's original F45-era five-seat 2 Series Active Tourer, a model which was not only BMW's first MPV but also the first to break away from the rear wheel drive configuration that had previously defined the Bavarian maker. The front wheel drive set-up used here is key of course to this class of car. Without it, you can't achieve the interior packaging that People Carrier buyers need, especially if you want to keep the shape of your contender relatively compact. With front wheel drive in place though, a whole new area of deceptively spacious design can be opened up - as BMW's engineers found in developing the range of increasingly versatile models being offered by the company's MINI brand. It made perfect sense for them to use that front-driven MINI architecture in creating the 2 Series Active Tourer model we just mentioned, which launched in the Autumn of 2014. And, having created that car, it was just as logical to lengthen the platform to create this seven-seat Gran Tourer version, launched in the Summer of 2015. In one sense, this was what BMW called a 'retention car', there to keep buyers loyal who would otherwise be forced to desert the brand to meet the needs of a growing family. But it was also there to attract customers who never before had had the opportunity to buy a BMW: the brand had never previously sold a model offered as standard with seven seats. Inevitably, those people were asked to pay a little more than they'd previously had to find for a mainstream alternative, but in return with a Gran Tourer they got better quality, extra technology and a more dynamic drive. Such were the attractions of what was the first premium compact model to offer seven seats. The first to include the option of 4WD. And the first perhaps, that was truly aspirational. In 2018, both Active Tourer and Gran Tourer models got a significant update, with small updates to the engine range, styling tweaks and, perhaps most significantly, the addition of a new 7-speed auto gearbox as an option on the majority of models. New buyers could also have more camera-driven safety kit too. Otherwise, things were much as before. This F46-series Gran Tourer sold until late 2021, when it was deleted and not replaced.

What You Get

You'll be choosing this car because you want a BMW but you need a People Carrier. Those whose priorities lie that way round probably won't mind making a few practical compromises to buy into the Munich maker's model range but as it turns out here, very few are necessary. True, this seven-seat 2 Series Gran Tourer isn't sized to regularly accommodate seven adults, but then neither are any of its rivals in the seven-seat compact MPV class. With 7-seat MPVs of this period, if you compare this car against Grand C-MAX and Grand Scenic-style models rather than bigger Galaxys and Sharans from the next segment up, practically it stacks up pretty well. That's thanks to a 210mm increase in length and a 50mm increase in height over its already pretty spacious five-seat 2 Series Active Tourer stablemate. Light, spacious and beautifully appointed, the cabin here offers a level of quality far removed from that of any other compact MPV from the 2015-onwards period. As usual in the brand's modern models, the iDrive infotainment set-up's freestanding multifunction colour screen takes pride of place in the middle of the fascia, set high enough up the dash to allow you to refer to it without taking your eyes too far off the road. In terms of the driving position, you don't sit quite as high up as you would in some rival mainstream MPVs, but you are still well positioned for a commanding view of the road ahead. The rear doors open nice and wide and once inside, there's decent space for three fully-sized adults - though they don't get three separate seats in the way that they would in some MPV rivals. For young ones, three universal child seats could clip in side by side. Adults meanwhile, will find that the seat base is split 60:40 and that each segment slides forward and backwards over a 130mm range. This means you can either prioritise your legroom or space in the compartment behind you. Plus in the rearmost position, you get almost limousine-like standards of stretching space. As for the load bay, well first impressions are encouraging. For a start, you get an electrically-operated tailgate as standard (which is pretty rare in this class). Once the hatch rises, you're faced with. well, not a lot if all seven seats are upright; there's just 145-litres of space on offer. But then that's always going to be the case with any car trying to squeeze three rows of seating into just 4.5m of body length. Much of the time of course, you're not going to need the two extra chairs and folding them into the floor increases boot space up to 560-litres. That's 92-litres more than the five-seat Active Tourer model can offer and 65-litres more than you'd get from a 3 Series Touring estate from this era. Need more room? Well if the item in question is merely long and thin, like a set of skis, it may suffice merely to flatten the middle part of the 40:20:40 split-folding rear backrest. If though, you really need to super-size your space, then the rear bench drops electronically at the touch of a button to create a 1,820-litre cargo area that delivers you 310-litres more than the comparable Active Tourer model could offer.

What to Look For

Most of the 2 Series Gran Tourer buyers in our owners' survey were very happy with their cars, but inevitably, there were a few issues, though these tended to relate to relatively minor things. On one car for example, the glovebox catch mechanism collapsed. This is a car that will have been subjected to family use, so check the interior condition carefully for wear and tear, including scratching of the plastics and stains on the seats. Also make sure the seats all fold away and flip up as they should, especially those that are operated electrically. Check the paintwork for scuff marks and the wheels for kerb damage, as these cars will have been used in town car parks and on school runs. Look out for trouble with a blocked diesel particulate filter (DPF), especially on cars that might have been used for short, city journeys. Otherwise, there have been a few reports of interior trim creaking and some issues with the plastic flaps in the boot working loose, but nothing really large enough to worry about. The engines and mechanicals are proven from other BMW models, and their reputation is good. As usual, make sure that servicing has been correctly carried out at a BMW main dealer.

Replacement Parts

[based on a 2019 model 218i Gran Tourer - autodoc.co.uk - ex VAT] Parts prices for a 2 Series Gran Tourer from this period can be reasonable if you shop around. An air filter costs around £47. An oil filter is in the £9-£15 bracket. An oil filter is in the £5-£11 bracket. Front brake pads sit in the £20-£52 bracket for a set. A set of rear pads is in the £17-£46 bracket. Front brake discs are in the £42-£63 bracket. Rear brake discs are in the £24-£62 bracket. A starter motor is in the £91-£194 bracket. A wiper blade costs in the £4-£21 bracket.

On the Road

On the move, this 2 Series Gran Tourer model feels a little firmer and sportier than buyers of compact MPV models may be used to. It certainly offers a more rewarding experience if you like your driving and for original buyers, there was an optional electronic damping system for those who wanted to be able to occasionally prioritise comfort instead. Like most BMWs, this one got the brand's 'Drive Performance Control' system that enables you to tweak steering feel, throttle response and (with auto transmission) gearshift timings to suit the way you want to drive. Under the bonnet the base diesel 216d and petrol 218i variants both borrow 1.5-litre three cylinder engines from the MINI hatch of this period, the units developing 116 and 136bhp respectively. Performance in each case is respectable but we think that most buyers will be more satisfied with the extra pulling power of the 150bhp four cylinder 218d diesel model we'd recommend. If you need more performance, there's a 192bhp 220i petrol derivative. Or the 190bhp 220d diesel, a variant which was also offered with the option of xDrive 4WD. Even with this extra traction in place, this top diesel model can still be very frugal.

Overall

Ultimately, this car is all about the democratisation of premium quality. Why should you be denied a prestige badge just because you've a growing family and need seven seats? With a 2 Series Gran Tourer, you don't have to be. OK, it's probably not the BMW you ideally wanted back in your college years but today, it may well be the one you actually need if you're looking for a compact 7-seat MPV from the 2015-2021 period that's a bit classier than the norm. Certainly if compromises have to be made to suit changes in your life, then this car represents a remarkably pleasant way of making them, creating an MPV you could want rather than the kind of one you might merely need. There's something to be said for that. Life happens - but there's no reason why you can't better enjoy the journey.