When the practical and spacious minivans seemed to be extinguished, someone decided that there is still room for an MPV in the current market. Who? This is the house that has been synonymous with driving pleasure for years, BMW. When everyone runs away from minivans to embrace SUVs, it comes up against the tide new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer: in 2022 this second generation will arrive which revolutionizes the concept of MPV. Sporty aesthetics and in step with the latest styles of the House, engines up to 326 hp it’s a tech revolution inside. With what space always put first. I bet you’re curious now, right? Well: let’s find out together everything that hides the new minivan of Monaco.
7 Series grille and compact proportions: BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 2022 impresses from the outside
Launched in 2014, the first generation of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer caused the purists of the Bavarian house to talk a lot. First BMW equipped with front-wheel drive, the first Bavarian minivan, and the first Propeller car based on the modular UKL platform launched by the MINI brand. On paper, a BMW with front-wheel drive, transverse engine, high seat and a penchant for practicality didn’t have to be done.
Yet, BMW chose to launch into this new segment, directly rivaling the Mercedes B-Class among premium midsize vans. On the road, then, the 2 Series Active Tourer amazed those who have not been stopped by prejudices, making it a lot of fun to drive, at levels that you would never expect from an MPV. The model had a good sales success, attracting other types of customers to the brand, and today the story continues with the second generation BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, coming in 2022. And from the outside, it cannot be confused with the old version.
The first 2 Active Tourer was nice and well designed, but it is unlikely to have made anyone fall in love with its practical proportions. Today, however, the question changes a lot. The overall proportions have remained almost the same, with a tall and rather tall body. Each component, however, has been modified to be more dynamic and captivating. The A-pillars, for example, are more inclined, the wheel arches more muscular, the windows thinner. The front, on the other hand, is dominated by the generously sized front grille, which appears to be directly taken from today’s BMW 7 Series.
The double kidney XL makes the front more sporty and dynamic, equipped with thin and elusive headlights (LED as standard, Matrix LED on request). Sideways stand out the rims, available from 16 to 19 inches and the recessed handles that help to reduce the Cx just 0,26. Do not miss a more sculpted and muscular side and the cut of the windows with the classic Hoffmeister Elbow to also sign the new 2 Series Active Tourer as a real BMW.
Finally we find one behind tail redesigned, with a more inclined rear window, and very thin LED headlights that accentuate the angularity of the rear. The lines wink at the BMW 3 Series, but also at the new one iX, from which, as we will see, the 2 Series Active Tourer took a lot of inspiration from the inside. A rather angular bumper closes the picture and, surprisingly for a thermal BMW, without visible exhaust pipes. Despite the difficult mission of making the already good first generation sportier and more dynamic, the2022 edition of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer convinces. Dynamic, modern and captivating, has not succumbed to the temptation of SUVvizzarsi and has remained true to itself, but in a key more in step with the times.
The revolution is here (inside): the interior of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 2022 mentions iX and impresses with its lines
If out of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer in 2022 it brings an evolution of its design, now in line with the most modern BMWs, inside the old model there is very little left. If before the watchword was in fact practicality, with the classic stylistic features of the Bavarian house well mixed with storage compartments and more reassuring lines, the cockpit now smacks of real Revolution.
The star of the interior is indeed the new curved screen which incorporates the digital instrument panel and the latest generation infotainment system. And in this case we really talk aboutlatest version of BMW iDrive, iDrive8. Seen so far only on the electric iX and i4, the iDrive8 completely changes the rules of the game. In addition to the beautiful curved screen suspended on the dashboard, in fact, this new iteration of the Bavarian onboard system it dispenses with almost every physical key. Climate, radio, function keys: now it’s all touch, and integrated into the screen that measures 10.7 inches.
Even the iconic wheel synonymous with the iDrive system disappears much loved by Elica customers: we will see how this all-touch system will behave in practice. From an aesthetic point of view, however, despite the fact that we are facing the entry model of the BMW range the wow effect is immediate. The dashboard is very simple and minimalist, with very thin air vents placed on two levels, and the moldings can be in plastic, aluminum and also in a very particular dull wood.
Then the beautiful floating center console, which houses the automatic transmission selector, the driving mode selector and other useful functions such as the four arrows and other controls. The digital instrument panel, from 10.25 ″, has an improved resolution and in addition houses a more customizable and less plastered interface than the other BMWs. There is no shortage of massage seats, wireless charging for the mobile phone and even the steering wheel has been redesigned, now more modern and sporty.
Space remains the protagonist: 400 liters of trunk in less than 4.3 meters
Despite everything, however, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer remains a minivan for 2022 as well. This means inside there are several compartments to store our personal items, both under the floating console and under the dashboard, where we find two cup holders, two USB-C sockets and a very comfortable and easy-to-use vertical wireless charging pad.
It space on board then it promises to be of excellent quality. The dimensions are almost unchanged compared to the previous model: we are therefore talking about 4.39 meters long (+3 cm compared to the previous one), 1.82 m wide (+2 cm) and 1.58 m high (+2 cm), while the step remained unchanged at 2.67 meters. The front occupants will therefore presumably have the same (excellent) space availability as the first generation, while behind the passengers they will be able to take advantage of the sliding sofa of 13 cm. This will allow you to give 90 liters more space in the trunk.
Speaking precisely of luggage compartment, its capacity changes according to the chosen engines. In any case, the load capacity of the 2022 version of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer varies from a minimum of 415 to a maximum of 470 liters, while with the second row seats folded down it ranges from 1,405 to 1,455 liters. In addition, the rear door with electro-operated opening it is standard on all versions.
Mild Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid but also petrol and diesel: the multifaceted range of BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 2022 reaches up to 326HP
Finally we come to the part mechanics, which sees reconfirmations and surprising news. The basis on which the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer rests also remains the excellent one from 2022 onwards UKL modular platform. After the debut on the first Active Tourer, today this platform is found on various models of the BMW range, from the 1 Series to X1 and X2, from the 2 Series Gran Coupé to the entire MINI range. It is a platform capable of giving excellent driving sensations, optimal habitability and space for different engines.
And in fact, as BMW is getting used to by now, also this new Series 2 Active Tourer offers all the power supplies present in the Bavarian stable. Starting from the engines gas, at the base we find the 218i, equipped with the engine 1.5 three-cylinder turbo B38 with 136 HP, already known on several BMW models. And already after a motorization everything changes. There 220i, in fact, it is dotata of the same 1.5 three-cylinder petrol but with modulo mild hybrid a 48 V from about 20 CV. It is a debut of this technology on the 1.5 petrol, which thus comes to 170 CV e 280 Nm of couple.
At the top of the petrol range we find the 223i, equipped with a 2.0 4 cylinders turbocharged B48 coupled again to a mild Hybrid module. The overall power is 218CV e I 360 Nm, for a powerful and vigorous engine. But if you drive a lot of kilometers, BMW has thought of you with the 218d. Equipped with the legendary engine 2.0 4-cylinder turbodiesel B47 with two-stage turbo, it delivers 150 hp and 360 Nm of torque, and it’s perfect for those who grind their way every day. All engines will be available only with automatic transmission, specifically the renewed 7-speed double clutch. Finally, there will be motorizations hybrid. If before there was the 225xe sole in the Active Tourer range, now the hybrid offer on tap doubles.
Those who want a plug-in BMW MPV can choose between the 225e xDrive e la 230e xDrive. The starting point is the same, with two engines forming a combined all-wheel drive system. The engine under the hood is the compact 1.5 three-cylinder turbocharger, which moves the front wheels. At the rear, on the other hand, there is an electric motor connected to a battery that allows up to 80 km of autonomy in pure electric. If consumption and emissions between the two versions are almost identical, it is the power and the power that change performance. The 225e xDrive has in fact 245 hp (136 thermal + 109 electric), while the 230e reaches a good 326CV overall (150 thermal and 177 electric). Lthe 230e xDrive is also the fastest 2 Series Active Tourer ever, with one 0-100 km/h covered in 5.6 seconds.
We close with the safety, of excellent level as per BMW tradition. Standard on all versions is Cruise Control, lane maintenance warning and anti-collision warning, also for intersections. On request, you can have the Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, and all the other technologies to get to one level 2 autonomous driving. Finally, it will be possible to activate certain functions, safety and otherwise, through the service Functions on Demand by BMW. By purchasing certain packages or services, the car will receive an OTA update that will activate the service on your car, thanks to the 5G connection always present in the car.
Coming February 2022, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 2022 will start at around € 35,000
As we have seen, the …