BMW’s popular diesel MPV, the 216d, now replaced by the petrol 216i in Singapore

Singapore –
Ever since its introduction in late 2015, the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has been a big hit amongst local buyers thanks to its seven-seat flexibility, usable diesel power and overall affordability.

Until now, the sole offering for the 2 Series GT has been the diesel-powered 216d variant, but BMW Singapore has announced today that the oil-burning model will be replaced by the 216i petrol variant.

The story of engine choice for the 2 Series MPV has been a varied one. At the car’s debut in  late 2014, only the 218i gasoline engine was offered with the five-seat Active Tourer model. With 136hp, it wasn’t COE Category A friendly, and was replaced by the 216d Gran Tourer, which proved a bigger hit with its seven-seat capability.

The diesel 2 GT offered a number of benefits, so much so that when the 216i became available globally it still wasn’t superceded – see our comparison table below. Like the popular 116d hatchback, the diesel variant offered superior drivability and performance, while its low CO2 emissions gave it a hefty advantage thanks to the $10,000 Carbon Emissions Based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) rebate.  

“Do you think we have a future with clean air, Sharon?” “Well Jimmy, I hear BMW has a plug-in hybrid 2 Series Active Tourer, the 225 xE, which will be launched in Singapore in the future.” “Wow Sharon, you know a lot about BMWs for a 10-year-old!”

That accounts for the price difference, and the 216i is a more expensive car than the model it replaces, if we compare the last listed price for the 216d in the first round of August , 2017.

But CEVS is due to be replaced by the VES (Vehicle Emissions Scheme) on January 1, 2018, and diesels are expected to fare much worse than they currently do, as VES also grades cars on pollutant emissions including NOx and particulate emissions, traditionally areas where diesels perform worse than petrol engines.

Soccer moms rejoice: The 216i is less fun to drive, not as quick or efficient as the 216d, but it emits less NOx and particulates. 

The overall specs and dimensions remain otherwise the same – the car’s still 4,556mm long, 1,800m wide and 1,612mm tall with a 2,780mm wheelbase. There’s room for five people in front, with an additional third-row of two seats. Cargo space is 645-litres, expandable to 1,905-litres with all the seats down. For a fuller picture of how the car’s like, read our review of the 216d Gran Tourer.

*Last published price, August 10 2017.