IT'S dubbed the most practical BMW ever and with seven seats, the option of four-wheel-drive and lashings of family-friendly features the new 2-Series Gran Tourer ticks plenty of boxes.

Following on from the Active Tourer launched only 10 months ago and already a soaraway success with 8,000 sales in the UK the latest model continues to break new ground for the famous Bavarian brand.

While the Active Tourer was the first front-wheel-drive car from BMW the Grand Tourer marks its entry into the full-size MPV market.

For BMW it plugs a gap in its model line up but for the punter it releases a new level of aspiration in the family car sector.

Not only is the Gran Tourer big and spacious it is also the first seven seat MPV to be available with four-wheel-drive.

Ford's new S-MAX - which is probably the closest rival to the Gran Tourer - will have an all-wheel-drive option but that is a car which is still months away.

As such the BMW is a top notch performer and to go with its premium image it carries a premium price tag.

The range kicks off at £24,710 for the 1.5-litre 136bhp petrol-powered 218i and the xDrive AWD variant sits at the top of the pile with prices starting from £32,540.

The one we drove cost a cool £41,120 and came with a range of extras which included a panoramic sunroof at £945, an upgraded sat nav system (all BMWs now come with navigation as standard) at £1,395 and a technology pack which included adaptive LED headlights and a high definition reversing camera at £1,095.

Prestige abounds with BMW ownership so such additions are no deterrent for those who want their MPV to wear the legendary blue and white propeller roundel.

What you get for the money is a very classy MPV that can genuinely seat seven adults although the rear pair of seats are still best thought of as occasional for grown ups and best for youngsters.

And on the family front the Gran Tourer is one of only a handful of vehicles which come with three ISOFIX anchors in the middle row enabling a trio of child seats to be installed.

With all seats in use luggage space is just 145 litres but as a five seater it is much more practical and with sliding middle row seats there is between 560 and 720 litres to play with - and that's big enough to carry a washing machine home from the electrical store.

With all seats folded - an operation which takes only seconds at the push of a couple of release buttons - and the Gran Tourer becomes a cavernous 1,820 litre load lugger as big as a minivan.

There is even the option of folding down the front passenger seats enabling items up to 2.4 metres long to fit inside.

The luggage blind is stowable beneath the boot floor which is a useful feature but there is no spare wheel and the car comes with a tyre repair kit to free up space.

From a convenience perspective the tailgate can be operated remotely and inside there are bottle holders and storage compartments for every passenger.

Fold-down tables on the back of the front seats are standard and are removable if necessary to free up leg room in the middle row (the trays are a bit on the chunky side when folded flat).

BMW has not gone for sliding doors for its new MPV and the rear doors open wide enough to make access to the back quite straightforward.

The Gran Tourer is 14ft 9ins long and that is two inches shorter than the BMW 3 Series estate and although the roof line is two inches higher than that of the Active Tourer headroom for adults in the back is on the tight side - especially when it comes to negotiating speed bumps.

As a five seater it is very capacious and a full gamut of in-car entertainment can be installed including the likes of iPads which can be slung on the back of the front seats.

It may be BMW's first MPV and mainly a front-wheel-drive vehicle but there is no compromise with performance or handling.

The 220d xDrive pumps out a healthy 190bhp and on the diesel front there are also 216d and 218d models to go at as well as a192bhp 220i petrol version.

All are impressive on the fuel front with the 218i and the xDrive both returning around 40 to the gallon but the 216d is the most fuel efficient and averaged 54mpg on our run. BMW claims an official fuel return of 68.9mpg with emissions of 108g/km for the 216d and 57.6 and 129g/km for the xDrive.

Multi-mode drive controls are fitted on every version and that can vary the feel of the throttle from comfort to sport and eco settings.

Driver enjoyment is out of the top drawer for an MPV, especially when the car is switched into sport mode.

A head up display is standard on higher grade versions of the Gran Tourer as is leather upholstery while all models have classy ambient lighting strips running throughout the cabin.

On the safety front automatic emergency braking is another standard feature and so is automatic emergency assistance which makes use of an embedded SIM card in the car's software.

BMW makes no pretentions that the Gran Tourer was conceived to give the brand some extra family appeal and with 600 orders already placed in the first two weeks since the car was announced, demand appears to be strong.

In every way the Gran Tourer is true to the BMW spirit - great to drive and packed with prestige. The only difference is that this one can be enjoyed by more in one go.