BMW is already offering the 2 Series Active Tourer in the second generation. It is quite expensive, so its older predecessor is recommended as a used alternative. It is basically solid even in old age - but the mistakes are piling up.
Van deaths on the German car market continue unabated. BMW is one of only a few manufacturers remaining loyal to this segment with the 2 Series Active Tourer, as the introduction of the second generation at the beginning of 2022 makes clear. If you want the new edition, you have to put at least 36,000 euros on the counter of the BMW dealer.
From the similarly attractive predecessor, there are now large numbers of significantly cheaper alternatives on offer, sometimes at prices of less than 10,000 euros. According to the TÜV report 2022, it is a solid guy. However, the number of age-related problem areas increases over the years.
body and interior
Even if the 2-series Active Tourer, introduced in 2014, no longer looks fresh, it still cuts a fine figure for a representative of the rather conservative van segment. However, its inner values are more convincing. The tourer is characterized by a high-quality interior with plenty of space. The area behind the front seats can also be used flexibly. In this chapter, the long-wheelbase "Gran Tourer" is particularly impressive, towering 20 centimeters over the Active Tourer and also being offered with an optional third row of seats.
Despite front-wheel drive, both body variants suffer from a wide cardan tunnel, which makes sitting in the middle seat in the rear quite uncomfortable. Anyone looking for maximum space is usually better off with vans from other manufacturers - the Munich-based company traditionally prioritizes handling and looks. The Tourer is no exception.
The engine
The 2-seater uses Mini's front-wheel drive platform and was the brand's first non-rear-wheel-drive model at the time. However, there are also used copies with the all-wheel drive technology from the Mini Countryman. And the range of engines also has large overlaps. The entry-level engine is an 80 kW/109 hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol engine, which doesn't quite fit the van's dynamic and active driving aspirations. The variant with 103 kW/140 hp goes to work much faster, above it are two 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines with 141 kW/192 hp and 170 kW/231 hp, which make the 2-series a sports car among family carriages.
There is no lack of performance with the diesels either: the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines have 150 hp and 140 kW/190 hp, and even the particularly efficient 1.5-liter three-cylinder with 116 hp is still decently motorized for this class. As of 2018, a plug-in hybrid variant with 224 hp and an electric range of more than 50 kilometers was introduced, for which more than 20,000 euros are usually called on the used market. In the case of the more powerful Active Tourers, automatic transmissions with six to seven gears are used for power transmission, manual transmission is available for the weaker versions 216i and 218i as well as 214d, 216d and 218d.
equipment and security
BMW deliberately sorted the Active Tourer into the 2-series, which also includes a coupé and a convertible. The equipment level of the van is correspondingly high. The basic version offers, among other things, air conditioning, an audio system with Bluetooth hands-free kit and alloy wheels (except for the two entry-level engines). But the list of options is long. You have to be on the lookout for details such as an electric tailgate, LED headlights, adaptive chassis or roof rails.
In addition, there are four preconfigured lines: "Advantage" primarily offers technical equipment, "Sport Line" and "M Sport" rely on a dynamic exterior and sports seats, while the "Luxury Line" has leather seats and similar amenities on board. Six airbags ensure safety in all variants, and there are various assistants available on request - from the lane departure warning system to the emergency braking system. The Euro NCAP crash test in 2014 gave it five stars out of a possible five.
quality
The first BMW on a front-wheel drive platform affords no major weaknesses. Even after the second HU round, his test statistics are in the green in all categories. Since the TÜV report 2022, the 2er Active Tourer has only been at an average to even above-average level of defects in a segment comparison. Reason: The van often fails the emissions test (AU), which has recently been taken into account in the TÜV report assessment. While the brakes are usually still in good condition after seven years, defects in the steering joints become more common from this age. Anyone looking for errors in Internet forums will also find evidence of rattling panoramic roofs, confused navigation instructions and rust edges on the doors.
Conclusion: The 2-seater tourer is not only sportier and more elegant than the common family van, it is also technically as superior as a premium car should be. Accordingly, as a rule, five-digit sums are called up for copies, some of which are already eight years old.
