BMW won’t bother taking on the Mercedes-Benz B-Class in Australia.
The 2022 2 Series Active Tourer has been revealed for Europe, but the compact MPV won’t be coming to Australia.
BMW sold 3696 examples of the previous-generation 2 Series Active Tourer between 2014 and 2020, with an annual peak of 1765. It was killed in 2020, although the 2 Series name lives on with the Gran Coupe and the rear-drive compact coupe.
The new model has grown up compared to its predecessor. There’s an oversized new kidney grille, slimmer headlights, and detailing in the bumper to match the rest of the BMW range.
Like before, it has upright proportions designed to free up maximum interior and luggage space. There’s 406L of space in the boot, expanding to 1455L with the rear seats folded 40/20/40.
Four internal-combustion powertrains (backed by 48V mild-hybrid tech) and two plug-in hybrids will be offered in Europe, with the PHEVs to follow the front-drive petrol and diesel models a few months after launch.
The most powerful petrol makes 160kW of power, the most powerful diesel 110kW. Both plug-in hybrids are all-wheel drive; the range-topping 230e xDrive combines a 110kW petrol engine with a 130kW electric motor.
It has a 14.9kWh battery pack good for up to 80km of electric-only driving on the WLTP test cycle.
With 7.4kW AC charging, a full battery charge takes less than two-and-a-half hours.
Inside, the 2 Series Active Tourer borrows heavily from the electric iX SUV. The driver is faced with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.7-inch central touchscreen.
The twin screens run the latest BMW iDrive OS8.0 infotainment software, with satellite navigation as standard.
A full suite of active safety assists will be offered, including the latest BMW highway driving assistant.
BMW has focused on freeing up storage space, including a massive bin beneath the armrest.
The rear bench slides forward or backwards by 13cm, and the backrests can be reclined or made more upright. With the backrests upright and the bench slid forward, there’s an extra 90L of boot space.
The boot lid is powered, and the loading lip is designed to make it easy to load prams, shopping bags, or even your zimmer frame.
Would you like to see the 2 Series Active Tourer in Australia?
