Geneva Motor Show: BMW Enters The Front-Wheel Drive Arena

A new dawn has arrived at BMW. Long rumored but never confirmed, the front-wheel drive era has officially begun with the introduction of the 2015 BMW 2-Series Active Tourer. The vehicle is making its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, making the 2-Series Active Tourer the first of what is expected to be many front-wheel drive models from the German brand.

The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer is almost a carbon-copy of the Active Tourer Concept shown at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The hatchback body is very tall, almost minivan-ish, and features a sloping noise and sculpted lines along the profile. Size-wise, the 2-Series Active Tourer is 170 inches long, 61 inches tall, and 70 inches wide. That puts it right in the range of BMW's X1 crossover.

Inside is a spacious and well-lit cabin that fits five passengers. Cargo space measures out at 16.5 cubic feet with the seats up and 53.3 cubic feet with the seats down. Like most of the BMW lineup, the 2-Series Active Tourer's dash layout is simple and very clean. BMW's iDrive with a touchscreen comes as standard.

Engine wise, the 2-Series Active Tourer starts with the 218i, which features a 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 136 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Next is the 218d which packs a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder diesel with 150 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. Finishing it off is the 225i which is a 2.0L turbocharged four with 231 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. All of the engines come with a six-speed manual as standard. The 218i gets a six-speed automatic as an option, while the 218d and 225i add two more gears to their optional automatics.

The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer will go on sale in Europe later this year. As for the U.S., BMW hasn't said if the model will make a North American debut. We'll keep you posted.