Independent Reviews of BMW New and Used Cars

BMW's compact electric vehicle, the i3, now also comes in sportier i3s guise. Jonathan Crouch looks at the revised 120Ah version.

BMW pioneered the Coupe-SUV concept and has since developed it with cars like this second generation X4. Jonathan Crouch drives it in volume 20d diesel form.

Did you ever expect to see a BMW model range built around front wheel drive with an MPV body shape and offering the option of a three cylinder engine? We're not sure we ever did. But then we weren't really ready for an electrified BMW supercar either and we've got one of those. So this Bavarian brand is evolving - and so must the Scenic and C-MAX-style five-seat compact MPV segment in which this 2 Series Active Tourer competes. After all, even MPV buyers now realise that style and driving dynamics aren't incompatible with family versatility. Cars like this one are driving that change. Of course the front-driven layout gives it a less driver-orientated feel than you'd find in other BMW models. The brand's traditional buyers may not like that, so it's just as well that this car isn't aimed at them. No, you'll be interested in a 2 Series Active Tourer if your need for practicality is greater than your need for a BMW. But you'd still rather like one. If that makes sense to you, then this car will too. Its closest rival, the Mercedes B-Class, doesn't have the same kind of spark and the only other alternative is a much frumpier more conventional mainstream brand MPV. All of which means that BMW's appealing spin on ordinary family motoring will probably continue to attract a ready audience. People who probably never thought they'd be buying from this Munich maker. They won't be getting 'the ultimate driving machine' because that's not what they need. Getting instead what may very well be 'the ultimate small people carrier' will suit them very well indeed.

BMW's X5 was the original 'Sports Activity Vehicle'. And in fourth generation guise, it's more sophisticated than ever before. Jonathan Crouch reports.

There are only two ways we could really imagine anyone being disappointed by this BMW. If you expect it to be an out-and-out sportscar. Or if you can't afford it. The first is unrealistic. Buy a car of this kind and you're buying a Grand Tourer. That's what the target market wants. And this 6 Series is very good indeed at GT motoring. As for the price, yes it's quite high but realistically you can't really have any complaints about that either, tightly targeted as this car is against rival brands. Bigger, faster and sleeker than its predecessor, this 'F12'-generation 6 Series Convertible was for us back in 2011, the most desirable convertible the Bavarian brand had ever made. And still remains pretty tempting now. A car you could comfortably choose over a comparable Jaguar, Mercedes or Maserati from this era? You'd better believe it.