2022 BMW Active Tourer: leaking…
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The BMW Active Tourer has never been sold in the US. And this new one (top pic) won’t come over here either.
While the current model looks O, the next one could already be described as “ghastly”.
Mainly because of that huge new grille. And of course, fake vents.
The BMW grille thing seems to be out of control. They now almost look like bad cartoony photoshop illustrations.
I can only imagine what the upcoming new 7 series sedan and huge X8 SUV will look like…
In this case, I consider the US lucky they won't be seeing this BMW "Fit."
The grille is one thing. But, look at the side. The old one had the distinct BMW crease and a Hofmeister kink, so despite being a MPV, it vaguely had a BMW vibe. The new one looks super anonymous, could be from any even Chinese brand.
The huge grille is like those huge Polo players on Polo Ralph Lauren shirts, so everyone knows that an otherwise random design is an expensive brand. You still impress your neighbors (in your mind)
a couple of years ago, my rental car company gave me an "upgrade" to a 2 Active Tourer (from a Passat). The car was actually OK, had more utility than a 2 sedan, it felt like a typical FWD EU tall econobox. OK to drive, OK features, a very dark interiors, definitely not a premium vehicle, just adequate… I guess for those who absolutely need to have that BMW logo on their cars! Very far away from "the ultimate driving machine"
take away the BMW kidney grille from both of these pictures and these cars are completely anodyne, they could be made by anyone, e.g. Hyundai, KIA, Opel, Renault, etc. BMW must do something to differentiate their cars, hence the focus on the large grilles. Unless they revamp their design language, we will see larger and larger grilles tacked onto their vehicles.
I totally agree.
A friend of mine owns one in Europe. It is shockingly "barely OK".
It is interesting to me how, for decade after decade, BMW was able to maintain a signature design identity, even as models evolved, became more streamlined, etc. But now, when I encounter their latest offerings on the road, I almost always think they are something else (usually guessing Hyundai), until I find the badge.
Part of the appeal of BMWs has always been having people realize you are driving one, so this approach certainly seems to be diluting that.