BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 2015 Review

People buy BMWs for the badge. The stylised aero propeller – a semiotic legacy of the company's aero engine beginnings – has come to represent the brand's reputation for finely honed driving dynamics. Does the badge thus bear the same significance applied to the 2 Series Active Tourer, a car that some see as BMW's shark-jumping moment?

What can I say? The badge is irrelevant. I previously drove all three variants during the local launch late last year and came away impressed. Even so, the open-road thrash of that drive program doesn't convey how the Active Tourer shines in the urban environment.

During the week before Christmas I was battling the madding crowds in Melbourne's Doncaster Westfield car park. The BMW broke through the phalanx of shoppers fighting for a parking spot, thanks to its compactness, agility and field of vision (complemented by the standard reversing camera).

Despite its external dimensions the Active Tourer is very commodious inside. It has a hip point at roughly the same level as a small SUV – say a CR-V or QASHQAI – and the driving position is similarly 'commanding'. For many people, the Active Tourer makes any small SUV pointless – especially a front-wheel-drive model.

Around town and in the suburbs the 218i is easy to drive, and the turbo lag mentioned in my launch review was barely encountered. In fact the 218i could pull off a speedy launch from the lights with the idle stop-start system firing up the engine on the first crank. Nor was there any significant delay when the driver demanded more grunt to accelerate into a narrowing gap in traffic.

There was also enough torque for unfussed acceleration from one traffic light to the next... with passengers and payload on board. On light throttle openings the engine rarely needed to get above 2000rpm before shifting up a gear. The three-cylinder is ultimately an engine built for torque rather than power. In higher gears it takes a while to reach redline.

The warbly little triple emits a rich burble at lower revs, but also sounds spirited higher in the rev range. Labouring is audible at around 1500rpm, where the transmission wants the engine to be operating for the sake of fuel efficiency, but it's bearable. At 100km/h the engine is hovering just above 2000rpm, which is a reflection of the base-grade car's six-speed automatic. The eight-speed automatic in the 218d and 225i holds the revs about 300 or 400rpm lower at the same speed.

The 218i's automatic shifts smoothly and responsively, and doesn't get muddled between kick-down and the driver's demands for a select gear while operating the transmission manually. This also proved to be the case with the eight-speed transmissions in the 218d and 225i. The 218i would actually benefit from the shift paddles fitted to the diesel-engined 218d, in which shift paddles are effectively superfluous.

Fuel economy over the week was 9.6L/100km for the 218i. In contrast, the very refined and torque-rich diesel in the 218d returned a figure of 6.3 – with a figure as low as 5.8 posted for an extended section of freeway driving.

Similarly, the 225i covered up to 50km of freeway during the week, returning a fuel consumption average of 8.5L/100km. The idle stop-start system went about its business with less shock and bump restarting the petrol engines than the diesel, but all three engines were quick to fire up again.

Rarely could the diesel be faulted for NVH. At low speeds and under load, typical diesel clatter intruded, but without the racket of similarly priced diesel passenger cars from some other brands. Mostly NVH in the 218d was suppressed exceptionally well. This was true also of the 225i. Tyre noise was quite apparent in all three vehicles, however.

In spite of being a family car, the Active Tourer encouraged the driver to give it some stick. Roadholding was influenced by the roomy packaging and front-wheel drive layout, but for a mini-people mover the BMW didn't concede much ground to conventional small hatchbacks.

In fact, the Active Tourer boasts a short-overhang stance that contributes to its steadfast roadholding. The 218i turned-in responsively and held a neat line approaching neutral. Lifting off the throttle induced the car to tuck in tighter, but it never felt messy. Steering was light enough for the target demographic, but still conveyed which way the wheels were pointing.

At the straight-ahead, the 218d felt a little more stable, which might be attributable to more weight over the wheels. But as the driver's car among the three, it was the 225i that snatched top spot on the podium. Not only did it feature the same dynamic virtues as the 218d, but it also satisfied the driver's competitive urges with its throaty but refined turbo four-cylinder.

Steering wasn't razor-sharp, which was true of all three Active Tourer variants tested, but the 225i could still be placed accurately on the road, and it made a real effort to deliver whatever the driver wanted – in a way few front-wheel drive family hatches manage. It encouraged the driver at all times – whether to open up the throttle further, leave the braking later or pick a higher speed for cornering. And it didn't put a foot wrong, other than a little torque steer at times.

The 225i also impressed with its strong braking. Feel through the pedal pointed to a higher level of braking assistance and performance than in the diesel or the three-cylinder petrol model. The 225i sits on a very communicative chassis for a family hatch, and as a bonus it rode with the same supple quality as the other Active Tourer variants.

Inside, the Active Tourer's interior is nicely styled and both the 218i and 225i tested came with 'Canberra Beige' cream-coloured leather trim complemented by 'Fineline Tide' – a light woodgrain veneer that was practically translucent. The 218d's leather was a charcoal colour and the woodgrain trim was darker.

The seats in the entry-level car felt a bit flat, but the sports seats fitted as standard in both the 218d and 225i were considerably better, offering an extendable and tilt-adjustable squab for the driver, and better (power-adjustable) bolstering and lumbar support, along with multi-position memory. These seats are also available as an option in the 218i, and I would recommend them over the standard items.

With an electronic handbrake and the automatic transmission fitted as standard, the Active Tourer's folding centre armrest didn't foul any of the car's controls. The driver's side mirror wouldn't turn out far enough to eliminate the blind spot on the starboard side, unfortunately.

All three cars were supplied with options that raised the overall price markedly. In standard form the Active Tourer is affordable and functional, yet still delivers a good level of kit in standard form – including powered tailgate, reversing camera, useful High-Beam Assist, auto wipers/headlights and Parking Assist (with large, easily-read text on screen in the infotainment display).

The options fitted to the test 225i raised the price over $10,000 above its 'vanilla' price of $54,900 before on-roads. At that point the buyer is in Luxury Car Tax territory.

Much as I liked driving it, the flagship didn't offer so much more for the money than the 218d Active Tourer – and it's the latter that would be the variant I would choose for myself, perhaps with metallic paint, but nothing else in the way of options.

Whichever variant chosen, the Active Tourer is easy to drive, but sporty when required, refined, frugal and well-equipped, comfortable and commodious.