An active hybrid

When compared with others in the BMW family, the new BMW 225e Active Tourer flies well under the radar. Ben Selby reports.

With no carbon scoops, gargantuan alloys or big wings, the only thing which says it’s a BMW is, of course, the badge and the now familiar large kidney front grill.

The subtlety continues inside, but with added touches which are now familiar BMW cues, such as the BMW Live Cockpit Professional digital screen encompassing the 10.7-inch touch screen infotainment system and instrument cluster.

The 225e isn’t bursting at the seams with gadgets, but there is still a generous amount of toys to keep even the most tech savvy guru happy. Features like a power tailgate, heated front seats, wireless phone charging, a head up display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Connectivity, adaptive LED headlights and a 360-degree rear view camera all come as standard. You can even choose to have some digital art on display via the screen for your passengers to enjoy.

The interior is also a most capacious one. There is more than ample storage space and head and legroom for front and rear passengers is also very generous.

Being a plug-in hybrid, you can travel some distance on electric power alone. Amazingly, the Active Tourer can manage up to 90km, which in the PHEV world is mighty impressive. What is equally impressive is when combined with its 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, you could manage up to 800km on a single tank. You can also charge the 14.1kW battery pack up again in around three hours or so via an AC charger.

You may think at first glance the 225e wouldn’t be a terribly entertaining drive, but it’s actually bit of a giggle. The X-Drive AWD system, coupled with the electric motor and three cylinder turbo petrol engine, makes for some eagerly brisk motoring.

Wind it out in Sport mode and you dart forward towards that next set of lights in a matter of moments which would put some performance hatches to shame. Throttle off in Sport mode and you even get a faint whoosh of turbo noise, not something one would expect with an MPV.

While the 225e doesn’t have the same sharp cornering characteristics as a hot hatch, it is still a supple handler and ride comfort isn’t bad either. There is no doubt the BMW 225e xDrive Active Tourer, for me anyway, has been the biggest pleasant surprise so far of 2024.

FACT FILE
BMW 225e xDrive Active Tourer

• Price: $78,500
• Engine: 1.5L 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine/plug-in hybrid battery pack
• Transmission: 7-speed DCT automatic
• power: 180kW (Combined)
• Torque: 477Nm
• Combined Fuel Consumption: 1.7L/100km
• Electric Range: 90km (WTLP)