How BMW makes the 2-series Active Tourer redundant and keeps it alive alongside the X1

Are you going for the same technology in an MPV jacket or an SUV jacket?

How BMW makes the 2-series Active Tourer redundant and keeps it alive alongside the X1

You will hardly find an MPV in the range anywhere, except with some premium brands such as BMW, which is holding its own for the time being next to the X1 with the 2-series Active Tourer. Quite remarkable, considering it’s almost the same car. And it is even available with the same drivetrain.

It is of course a bit bitter that BMW is keeping the MPV alive alongside the X1 SUV with the 2-series Active Tourer. With an entire battalion of series Active Tourer, and also the first BMW with front-wheel drive. The latter is no longer news at BMW for a long time, because the X1 is now also basically a front-wheel drive. In fact, underneath the skin these cars share most of their technology. In any case, the X1 is the winner in the sales figures, because this year approximately three times as many X1s were registered as 2-series Tourers. Yet it apparently works well enough to justify a second generation of the MPV. But which model is actually objectively the best?

Space in the 2-series is disappointing

Let’s start with the interior space, where we would give our 2 Series endurance tester the best chances. After all, MPVs are colloquially called space cars for a reason. Still, that’s a bit disappointing. Depending on whether you choose an adjustable rear seat backrest, there may be some variation, but the 225e always remains tighter than the X1, which can also be had with an adjustable rear seat backrest. While the 2-series has a minimum capacity of 406 liters, the X1 already swallows 490 liters thanks to its larger external dimensions. Lay everything flat in the 225 and the space grows to 1.4.05 liters, but in that case 1,495 liters fit in the X1. Even when we sit in the back seat, it is noticeable that the X1 offers just a little more space. Both models are suitable for adults of average Dutch size, but in the So the X1 wins in this area.

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

BMW X1

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

MPVs have a reputation for being spacious, but the X1 is the winner in this case.

Interior is (almost) the same in BMW X1 and 2-series Active Tourer

This also applies to the experience in the front, although only in a single point. Because both models basically use the same technology, the similarities are great. Both have nice screens, an equally nice digital instrument cluster and both suffer from the lack of a physical control button for the iDrive system. It currently runs on the BMW Operating System 8, which does not excel in terms of clarity compared to its predecessors. The fact that you also have to struggle through all kinds of menu structures on a touchscreen does not benefit ease of use or safety at all. Yet the X1 has one small advantage: the head-up display is neatly projected into the windshield, while the 2 series has to make do with a clumsy plastic projection plate on the dashboard.

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Above the 2 series, below the X1: the difference is minimal.

X1 drives tighter, 2-series smoother

Where the X1 loses out a bit is in the chassis. Not because that is very bad, but you do feel that the center of gravity of the SUV is a bit higher. Because the plug-in hybrid version also weighs almost 2,000 kilos, the chassis has to work noticeably hard to keep the mass in line. Springs and dampers are quite stiff, which makes the X1 less comfortable than you might expect based on its appearance. This is offset by stable, secure handling, with plenty of grip.

Yet you feel that the mass in the 2 series is lower and that the MPV weighs 30 kilos less. As a result, the car responds more smoothly to the driver’s input on the road surface, which translates into more comfort. Because there is also less efficiency-oriented rubber, the grip is not much less than in the X1, which has the advantage of two centimeters wider tires.

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

The X1 rides a little tighter, but the 2 series offers more comfort.

Driving a BMW 2-series is cheaper

As mentioned, the drivetrain is exactly the same in both cases. A 136 hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo engine drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while a 109 hp electric motor drives the rear wheels. Without a physical connection between the two axles, there is still four-wheel drive. Unless you drive electrically, of course, because then you only have rear-wheel drive. In both cases you can travel about 75 kilometers on the 14.2 kWh battery pack, after which the car can continue as a regular hybrid. The 2-series does this slightly more efficiently than the X1. The latter scores just under 1 out of 17, the 2 series comes half a kilometer further on a liter.

In any case, you pay a bit more for the SUV, because the starting price of the X1 with this drivetrain is €51,917, the 225e xDrive is available from €47,656. From there, in good BMW tradition, you can make it about as expensive as you want. Both test cars are richly equipped with just about everything the brand has to offer in this class, making the total price about 20 grand higher in both cases. The figures show that people would rather spend that kind of money on an X1, but on paper it is only more generous. For the rest, the 2-series actually scores slightly better everywhere. So unjustly unloved.

BMW X1 vs BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

The drivetrain is identical, the 2-series is fractionally more economical.

– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl

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