BMW 2 Series Active Tourer review

While most car manufacturers have been focusing on SUVs rather than MPVs, BMW hasn’t taken its eye off the MPV ball – and the sporty-looking BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is the proof. 

It’ll take more than good aesthetics and a premium badge to tempt people away from their SUVs, though. So, what’s on offer? Well, there’s a choice of petrol engines with mild-hybrid assistance or two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants – perfect for company car drivers and those wanting to keep running costs low.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer video review

That all sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? But is it really enough to persuade SUV fans to switch to an MPV, and does the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer have what it takes to go head to head with the best MPVs – including the Mercedes B-Class – and seven-seaters like the Dacia Jogger, Kia Sorento and Volkswagen Touran. 

In this review we’ll tell you what the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is like inside and on the road, plus which engine and trim combination we recommend.

Our pick of the 2 Series Active Tourer engine range is the entry-level 168bhp 220i petrol engine, which has mild-hybrid tech for a little extra power and efficiency. It responds quickly to your inputs and will officially get from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds – faster than any Dacia Jogger.

It's so good that we can't see why anyone would want to step up to the more powerful but much more expensive 223i. That engine increases the power to 215bhp but only reduces the 0-62mph sprint by one second, and doesn’t feel all that much faster. 

There are also two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions to choose from: the 242bhp 225e and the 322bhp 230e. Both have four-wheel drive and feel quick, with the most powerful version sprinting from 0-62mph in just 5.5 seconds. According to official figures, PHEV Active Tourers can travel around 50 miles on electric power alone, but it's likely to be less in real-world driving.

At low speeds the 2 Series Active Tourer has a tendency to patter and thump over rough surfaces, especially on the M Sport’s optional 19in wheels. It does settle down at speed but never feels as plush or controlled as a Citroën C3 Aircross.

M Sport trim comes with adaptive suspension and is more impressive. Selecting Comfort mode softens the suspension, which stops the car being deflected off larger abrasions such as potholes and expansion joints.

We’ve driven a PHEV Active Tourer in pre-production form and we were quite impressed by how well it masked the extra weight added by the battery. Like the mild-hybrids, it's firmer than the Mercedes B-Class and other rivals, but never feels uncomfortable.

Keener drivers will want to go for the M Sport trim because its adaptive suspension stiffens everything up in Sport mode, helping it to control its body lean fairly well and making it more stable through fast corners. 

By comparison, the other trim levels lean more through fast corners and don’t feel quite as nimble. At least the PHEV versions have lots of grip on offer, thanks to their xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

No matter which version you go for, the steering is lighter than you might expect from a BMW. There’s enough weight for you to place the car accurately but it doesn’t feel all that sporty.

Neither of the 2 Series Active Tourer’s petrol engines is particularly intrusive when it comes to noise, but the 223i can be a little raucous if you put your foot down at lower speeds. It soon fades into the background though, and both make for relaxing motorway cruising, with little wind noise and road noise that’s only really noticeable on very coarse surfaces.

As you might expect, the PHEV versions are even quieter because of their ability to drive around silently on electric power alone. When you put your foot down with the engine off, you get some rather operatic noises to add drama, rather than synthetic engine noise.

All versions come with a seven-speed double-clutch automatic gearbox. It's smooth enough when shifting through the gears, but at low speeds it can be rather jerky, which makes it tricky to pull away smoothly. The inconsistent brakes can make it hard to judge how much pressure to apply to the pedal to slow down smoothly, so parking isn't as easy as it should be.

"I quite like the noises the PHEV makes as you accelerate. They were created by composer Hans Zimmer and make you feel like you’re in one of the films he scored." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

You won’t struggle to get comfortable behind the wheel of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer because all models have plenty of adjustment for the driving position and steering wheel. The seats are designed to be like the ones in sportier BMW models, and are comfortable with plenty of support.

On the inside, the 2 Series Active Tourer has taken its design and technology straight from the BMW iX so you won't find many physical buttons. Instead, most functions, including the climate control, are set using the large curved screen that combines a 10.3in driver display with a 10.7in infotainment system.

The driver's display gives you all the information you could ever need and can be customised to show all the normal dials or for some other function, such as the sat-nav map. To make things even easier, a large and customisable head-up display can be added as an option.

The 2 Series Active Tourer has fairly slim front windscreen pillars but they’re angled aggressively and end up limiting your front visibility at junctions and as you approach pedestrian crossings.

It’s better news when you look over your shoulder, with a great view when you check your blind-spot. Thanks to the large rear window you won’t struggle to park, and it’s made even easier by front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and the standard-fit parking assistant, which can parallel park the car.

You’ll be able to see plenty when you head out for a night drive because automatic LED headlights are standard across the range. If you opt for the Technology pack, you’ll upgrade those to matrix headlights that allow you to leave full beam on all the time without dazzling oncoming drivers.

The 2 Series Active Tourer’s 10.7in infotainment touchscreen has built-in sat-nav, DAB radio, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. It’s the same as the system fitted to the iX, with the same pin-sharp graphics and near-instant reaction to your prods and swipes. 

There’s one big difference here though: like many modern BMWs, the Active Tourer doesn't have an iDrive rotary controller. As a result the system’s vast menus are more distracting to use on the move, than they are in the iX. 

The voice-control system works well most of the time, though, and doesn’t tend to call a random relative when you ask for details about your route or to turn the heating up. You’ll also find buttons that control most aspects of the infotainment system on the steering wheel.

Interior quality in the 2 Series Active Tourer is impressive, with plenty of dense soft-touch materials in all the right places and anything scratchy hidden well out of view. The Alcantara used throughout M Sport versions is especially pleasant.

Build quality is fantastic too, and all the stalks and surfaces you touch regularly feel sturdy. You can certainly see why this is a much more expensive car than the Dacia Jogger.

Overall, it’s one of the best interiors in the MPV class. Indeed, we’d say it’s up there with the best of its equivalent rivals among small SUVs. 

"While the physical rotary controller remains in more expensive BMW models, I think it’s a shame that the 2 Series Active Tourer misses out, because it makes the infotainment system more distracting to use." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

There’s masses of room up front in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, and even very tall drivers will have plenty of space in the high-roofed interior. There’s lots of head room and the generous width means the driver won’t end up rubbing shoulders with their passenger.

You’ll find plenty of storage areas for your bits and bobs too. On top of the usual door bins and glovebox, you get a large storage area under the floating central armrest and an area in front of the cupholders to store your phone in an upright position. That’s also where you can charge your phone wirelessly if you opt for M Sport trim or the optional Technology pack.

The broad door apertures, high roof and slightly higher-set seats than in a conventional hatchback make access to the 2 Series Active Tourer excellent.

Thanks to the generous head and leg room on offer, two six-footers or three children will be fine in the back of the 2 Series Active Tourer. That’s especially true if you add the optional sliding rear seats, which allow you to choose between extra rear leg room or more boot space. There's a touch more rear leg and head room in the VW Touran.

You won’t find as many storage spaces in the rear as you get in the front, but if you fold down the standard centre rear armrest, passengers will have a couple of cup holders to store drinks. The door pockets are moulded to offer convenient bottle storage and you get map pockets on the back of the front seats as standard.

Access is very good, with the high roofline making it easy to duck in for access to child seats.

The 2 Series Active Tourer is a little behind the Touran for outright passenger space but it’s better for flexibility, with every version getting 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats. There’s also the option of sliding rear seats, which slide in a 60/40 configuration.

One thing the 2 Series Active Tourer can’t do is fold two additional seats out of the boot floor – something that both the Dacia Jogger and Touran can do, making them seven-seaters. 

As with the driver’s seat, the front passenger seat has a broad range of movement. You don’t get electronic seat adjustment as standard with any trim but you can add it as an option. Doing so also gives you a handy memory function, which can get you back to your chosen driving position at the touch of a button if someone has moved your seat.

Boot size in the Active Tourer depends on which version you go for. The petrol engines offer the most, at 415 litres – slightly less than the Mercedes B-Class and lots less than the Jogger. Even so, the 2 Series Active Tourer will swallow a pushchair or most people's weekly shopping, and there’s a storage compartment under the boot floor.

Due to the battery sitting under the boot floor in the PHEVs, their boot capacity is reduced to 406 litres. As a result, you’ll need to weigh up whether the electric range and potential savings over its non-PHEV rivals are more important than boot space. 

A powered tailgate is standard across the Active Tourer range and there’s no loading lip to contend with, making it a doddle to load in bulky and heavy items. If you’re loading long items into the boot, folding down the rear seats is easy and creates a totally flat area with 1405 litres of space.

"While the Dacia Jogger’s boot is much bigger, I found the shape of the 2 Series Active Tourer’s boot, and the lack of load lip, really useful." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer will be quite tempting as a cash buy because it just about matches the price of an equivalent Mercedes B-Class and is cheaper than a VW Touran. It is, however, more expensive than small SUVs including the VW Taigo and costs a lot more than the Dacia Jogger.

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants are the obvious choice for company car drivers that want to keep their BIK tax payments low. If you keep their batteries charged, the official electric-only range of over 50 miles will keep running costs incredibly low.

The Active Tourer's premium badge will ensure resale values are among the best in the MPV class. If you’re planning to sell on, it could well work out to be one of the cheaper cars in the class with all ownership costs factored in, despite its higher initial purchase price.

One of the 2 Series Active Tourer’s trump cards is that it comes with plenty of standard equipment. As such, even the entry-level Sport version comes with 17in alloy wheels, two-zone air conditioning, heated front seats, cruise control and LED headlights.

Upgrading to Luxury trim gives the 2 Series Active Tourer some more luxurious features, including leather upholstery and fine-wood interior details.

Opting for top-tier M Sport, which isn’t much more expensive, takes things down a sportier path, with larger (18in) alloy wheels, more aggressive styling, sports seats and M adaptive suspension.

When it comes to reliability, BMW finished eighth out of the 31 manufacturers included in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey – above Volkswagen and Mercedes but below Dacia.

For added peace of mind, all 2 Series Active Tourers come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. PHEV versions also get a six-year or 62,000 mile warranty for their high-voltage battery.

Regardless of trim, there’s no shortage of safety technology on the 2 Series Active Tourer. Every version comes with stability control, automatic emergency braking (AEB), a tyre-pressure monitoring system and a system that warns you of potential collisions. 

You can also add the Driving Assistant Professional pack if you’d like to get some additional safety features. That optional extra gets you a steering and lane-assistant system, automatic speed-limit assistance, a blind-spot warning, front and rear cross-traffic warning, and a system that will automatically help you to evade an accident.

Security equipment includes an alarm and an engine immobiliser.

"As one of the only MPVs with a plug-in hybrid option, I can see the 2 Series Active Tourer being a very tempting and well-equipped option for company car drivers." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer 

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