The future is electric, but the present is still running on petrol and diesel. BMW, which at least officially has not solicited delays in the implementation of the European plans on reducing emissions, is relaunching the 2 Series Active Tourer with conventional engines. The long-awaited plug-in variants will also arrive during the summer, the most powerful of which, the 326hp 230e xDrive, was being tested as a prototype in Andalusia. A decidedly interesting model with the booster that for 10 ” makes you forget you are behind the wheel of a minivan: from 0 to 100 in 5.5 ”. The German price is over 47,500 euros, a reference that seems reliable given that the rest of the price list is comparable to the Italian one. The other rechargeable hybrid is the 245hp 225e xDrive (around 44,000 euros). Both are credited with just under 480 Nm of torque, although the data is still pending approval.
Future versions on tap are anticipated with an electric mileage leavened by 53% (up to 90 kilometers) thanks to the 14.9 kWh battery which brings the total to around 600 (over 40% more than the previous model) . Some German media are also betting on an upcoming completely zero-emission variant, but none of the managers of the Bavarian house are unbalanced. What is certain is that the platform allows such an option.
The second generation of the 2 Series Active Tourer is slightly fresher in aesthetics with a new double kidney and with “front pillars much more inclined than the previous model”: a solution that penalizes visibility. The most significant innovations concern what cannot be seen from the outside, namely the standard equipment and the passenger compartment, completely redesigned, in which the “floating” armrest stands out and a good number of control keys disappear. Of course, the price has also changed, with an increase between 4,000 and 5,000 euros, but BMW makes it known that now on board there are practically all the equipment so far most requested. Like the automatic transmission, the navigator, the curved display (which the 2 Series Active Tourer is the first non-electric to mount), the LED headlights. The proportions are substantially identical to the “old” model, apart from a couple of centimeters more height and 3 more in length, probably earned to ensure pedestrian safety and secure the 5-star EuroNcap in crash tests.
In the scenic and winding Andalusian roads around Malaga, trying the 220i and 223i is like driving two different cars. The difference between the engines is evident and the four-cylinder of the second, which also has 80 Nm of torque more (360) than the millecinque da tre that also equips the 218i, is brilliant. The acceleration from 0 to 100 is not burning (7 ”), but it is more than enough for the “natural” uses (and not only) of a minivan. In any case, fans of the brand inevitably have to deal with a different set-up than road sports, despite a top speed of 241 per hour (214 for the 218i and 221 for the 220i).
In terms of consumption, the 220i is the most efficient of the petrol units (BMW has not even brought the diesel model to Malaga) with a claimed mileage of almost 17 kilometers per liter. The values of the 223i are slightly lower (16.6), but the characteristics of the engine invite you to push more than to try to verify the reliability of the data. Selecting the Sport setting also fully convinces the steering response, but it all depends on the type of trip you want to undertake and who is on board. Because the 2 Series Active Tourer is a family car and BMW has sought an adequate compromise by also offering the option of the M Sport package, in addition to the Luxury Line trim. The standard adjustable rear seats provide 90 liters of extra capacity (from 415 with the sofas in the normal configuration of the 220i and 223i to 1,455 with the reclined seats of the two 218s). On request you can also have sliding doors (13 centimeters).
BMW 2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER, the card
What is that: is the second generation of the compact minivan of the Bavarian manufacturer. This is a model that went into production in 2014 that brought many new customers to the brand, also because it is a car that BMW did not have in the range before. The architecture is shared with the X1, which is why the debut of a purely electric declination is also conceivable
Dimensions: length 4.386 meters, width 1.824, height 1.576, pitch 2.67
Rivals: Mercedes B-Class
Engines: the Italian debut takes place with 4 petrol units and one diesel, while for the plug-in and all-wheel drive versions we will have to wait a few more months. All engines are mated to the 7-speed double-clutch Steptronic automatic transmission. The access versions are the conventional 136hp 218i and 150hp 218d. Then there are the mild hybrids 220i from 170 (156 + 19) and 223i from 218 (204 + 19). The latter is also available all-wheel drive, such as xDrive.
Advantages: standard equipment, comfort, interior spaciousness
Defects: right front visibility penalized by the A pillar, trunk
Production: Leipzig (Germany)
Prices: the list of petrol variants includes the entry level 218i 34,600 euros and the more performing 220i from 36,500 and 223i from 40,000, all front-wheel drive. Then comes the 42,1000 223i xDrive. The only diesel version is the 218d from 37,900 euros.
