BMW 2 Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid now on sale

• Latest ‘Curved Panel’ infotainment
• Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains
• On sale now from £31,285

The new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is on sale now, priced from £31,285. The standard petrol and diesel cars have also now been joined by a pair of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs); the 225e costs from £36,820.

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Revealed in 2021, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer has undergone more change than its familiar styling suggests, with most of its improvements coming under the skin. Overall, the surfaces of the new car look a little smoother than those of its predecessor but BMW’s latest oversized ‘kidney’ grilles feature too.

BMW is sticking with the 2 Series Active Tourer MPV despite the waning popularity of people carriers, with the model set to continue its rivalry with the plug-in Mercedes B-Class.

2021 BMW 2 Series Active Tourer prices and specifications 

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As before, BMW is offering the car with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power. Prices start at £31,285 for the 220i petrol engine in Sport trim. Choosing the more powerful 223i petrol engine means you’ll need to pay at least £32,715 and the 218d diesel splits the two with a £31,820 starting price. The new plug-in hybrid powertrains (225e and 230e) sit at the top of the range and will set buyers back £36,820 and £41,350 respectively – though the latter isn’t available in entry-level Sport spec.

Besides the basic Sport specification, there are also Luxury and M Sport versions available. Standard features across the range include LED headlights and a reversing camera. Luxury adds ‘Vernasca’ leather-upholstered seats (which are heated in the front), plus a different wheel design and aluminium trim. Racy-looking M Sport models have bigger alloy wheels, upgraded headlights, adaptive suspension and wireless phone charging.

Engines, performance and running costs

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From launch, there are two petrols and one diesel model available. The 220i kicks the range off and has a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine. This version produces 168bhp and enables a 0-62mph time of just over eight seconds, although this isn’t a metric that will be particularly important to many buyers. A new 223i engine sits above it with 215bhp and quicker acceleration. Both include 48-volt mild-hybrid technology that improves fuel consumption and provides a small power boost when accelerating.

While both the petrol models are slated to return 47mpg, the most efficient is the 218d diesel; this can return fuel economy figures of up to 58.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 125g/km.

Buyers now also have the choice of two plug-in hybrid engines, too. Dubbed 225e and 230e, both these models have four-wheel drive, offering 242bhp and 322bhp respectively. These are expected to feel surprisingly quick off the line; the range-topping 230e can manage the 0-62mph sprint in just 5.5 seconds.

Both PHEVs are fitted with a 16.3kWh (14.2kWh usable) battery, providing a pure-electric range of up to 55 miles on a single charge – significantly more than the 42 miles promised by the equivalent Mercedes B 250e. The 2 Series PHEV can charge at a maximum rate of 7.4kW. Charging from a home wallbox will take 2.5 hours, or under eight hours from a normal household plug socket.

Interior

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The new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer has grown in every direction, so shoulder room, legroom and headroom are all more generous than before. There are new seats designed to be more comfortable on long journeys and a new dashboard design that ushers in a slicker look by removing most buttons. The 2 Series MPV is the first BMW with an engine to get the brand’s latest iDrive 8 infotainment system, fitted in a 10.7-inch touchscreen that’s mounted next to a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

Boot size stands at 415 litres and 470 litres for petrol and diesel cars respectively, while the plug-in hybrids make do with just 406 litres, due to where the battery’s placed. The rear seats can slide forwards and backwards and you can adjust their angle to free up a bit more space in the boot. A powered tailgate comes as standard.

It’s not known whether the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer seven-seater will be renewed, as most customers are turning away from MPVs in favour of SUVs. However, BMW doesn’t have a similarly priced seven-seat SUV - only the expensive BMW X5 and BMW X7 offer a third row of seats.

If you need more than five seats, read our guide to the best seven-seater cars.