BMW 220i Active Tourer in the test: without a plug, the compact van has three advantages

Created: 04/10/2022, 12:15 p.m

By: Marcus Efler

It doesn't always have to be a plug-in: the new BMW van is also impressive as a mild hybrid with a three-cylinder petrol engine - especially since it has some of the characteristics of the purely electric models.

Munich – With the compact 2-series van, BMW is presenting an all-round coherent car: hardly larger on the outside than its predecessor, spacious on the inside and with a stylish widescreen digital screen that is similar to those in electric models such as the BMW iX.

After the first test drive with the top model, the plug-in hybrid 230e Active Tourer, 24auto.de was also impressed by the Munich family car.

BMW 220i Active Tourer in the test: without a plug, the compact van has three advantages

The two all-wheel-drive plug-in versions of the 2-seater van are of course no bargain offers: The BMW 225e xDrive Active Tourer costs 43,950 euros, the 230e xDrive again 3,600 euros more.

In addition, both can only be ordered from the middle of the year - with the current long delivery times, especially for cars with batteries, the payment of the state subsidy is by no means guaranteed.

After all, thanks to forward-looking management at BMW, the waiting times are still within limits.

The large BMW kidney also dominates the design of the Active Tourer.

©BMW

Nevertheless, some interested parties are likely to use one of the alternatives without a plug.

First of all, they are cheaper: The basic petrol engine 218i Active Tourer is not a sports car with 136 hp, but (after the steep price increase customary in the industry) is available from 36,000 euros.

The second advantage is faster availability, after all the dealers are already taking orders.

Thirdly, doing away with the plug-in system saves a good 200 kilos in weight.

BMW 220i Active Tourer in the test: The three-cylinder is always present

Above all, drivers who prefer to travel long distances can hardly compensate for the price and weight disadvantage of the plug-in mobile.

This is where the BMW 220i Active Tourer comes into play: The three-cylinder petrol engine has an output of 156 hp, and a small electric motor delivers up to 19 hp, but it does not allow purely electric driving.

The system performance levels out at 170 hp.

BMW has also managed to sport a sporty design for its van.

©BMW

With them, the 38,150-euro van travels very quickly, as 24auto.de has found.

Of course, the 1.5-liter three-cylinder is always present and lets the occupants acoustically participate in its work - the plug-in versions in power mode naturally glide much smoother through the city.

The sound is more conducive to the sporty overall impression.

BMW 220i Active Tourer in the test: Sporty even with front-wheel drive

However, the 2 Series Active Tourer is exactly the type of car that fathers who drive BMWs have always warned their sons about: One in which the front wheels transmit the not inconsiderable driving force to the road.

All in all, the engineers have managed to get the BMW 220i Active Tourer under control, the BMW 220i Active Tourer can be steered through corners in an agile and neutral manner.

If you step on the gas from a standstill, the front wheels will of course scrape over the asphalt – especially on slightly damp roads.

The cockpit shows two interconnected digital screens and a head-up display with an extra pane.

© Fabian Kirchbauer/BMW

BMW 220i Active Tourer in the test: braking with the gas pedal

After all, the small electric motor of the 48-volt mild hybrid system generates quite a bit of torque.

The 220i Active Tourer noticeably feeds in the energy for this when the driver takes their foot off the gas pedal.

With the appropriate mode selection, the slight braking feels a little like the one-pedal driving of pure electric vehicles.

BMW has also implemented the intelligent technology of its Stromer here: if the road is clear, the 2 Series sails on in an energy-saving manner.

If it encounters an obstacle like another car, it automatically decelerates and recuperates the excess energy back into the battery.

In the test, the practical consumption is only about half a liter above the official specification of 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers.

All in all, the BMW 220i Active Tourer is not exactly cheap, but it is a fair offer for those who hardly want to drive purely electrically in the city anyway.

The mild hybrid system delivers a noticeable electrical boost without requiring a large battery.

This vehicle fits in perfectly with BMW's strategy of giving the combustion engine a longer chance than some of its competitors.