BMW 2 Series Active Tourer Review: 218i, 218d, 220i, 225i
What’s Hot: Comfy and roomy interior, well-rounded standard equipment list.
What’s Not: Needlessly firm suspension.
X-FACTOR: Got an aversion to SUVs but want similar attributes? The 2 Series Active Tourer is well worth checking out.
Vehicle Style: Medium hatchback
Price: $44,400 (218i) to $54,900 (225i)
Engine/trans:
218i: 100kW/220Nm 1.5 petrol 3cyl | 6sp auto
218d: 110kW/330Nm 2.0 diesel 4cyl | 8sp auto
220i: 141kW/280Nm 2.0 petrol 4cyl | 8sp auto
225i: 170kW/350Nm 2.0 petrol 4cyl | 8sp auto
Fuel Economy claimed: 4.2 l/100km (218d) to 6.1 l/100km (225i)
OVERVIEW
Yes, this is BMW’s first ever front-drive passenger car. No, it’s not terrible.
In fact, for its intended purpose of being a compact car with an un-compact interior, the 2 Series Active Tourer hits the mark.
Small on the outside and spacious on the inside, it’s targeted squarely at buyers who don’t want an SUV but do want enough room to cart five people around comfortably.
It's quite like the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, which is an obvious rival. In fact, BMW hopes more than a few B-Class drivers will trade for an Active Tourer.
It is also hoping that buyers who might otherwise have been looking at an SUV, will similarly be enticed to make the switch.
After all, with a starting price of $44,400 for the entry-level 218i, the 2 Series Active Tourer is certainly price competitive with high-grade versions of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger.
So, should you dump your SUV in favour of a 2 Series Active Tourer?
THE INTERIOR | RATING: 4.5/5
- Standard equipment: Sports seats, power tailgate, electrically-folding rear seatbacks, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, Bluetooth audio/phone integration, cruise control, lane departure warning, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlamps.
- Synthetic leather standard on all models bar 225i. Wood trim standard on 225i.
- Cargo capacity: 468 litres minimum, 1510 litres maximum.
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