BMW 2 Series Active Tourer gets xDrive four-wheel drive
Not happy with front-wheel drive in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer? Now you can try it with four-wheel drive instead from £29,955
When the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer came out earlier this year, it made history as the first production BMW offered with front-wheel drive. Now, the firm has now decided to offer owners the choice of four-wheel drive for its Mercedes B-Class rival.
The xDrive system has appeared on several saloon and SUV models in BMW's range, and will now add further appeal to the mini-MPV for those who require extra all-weather grip.
This particular system is different from the permanent four-wheel drive on BMWs like the 3 Series XDrive: on the Active Tourer, the car remains completely front-wheel drive in normal driving conditions as the system is disengaged, meaning fuel economy and emissions suffer less.
Like Mercedes' 4MATIC system on the B-Class, when any loss of traction is detected a multi-plate clutch can send up to 100% of power to the axle with the most grip. It also infinitely adjusts the distribution of torque in cases where spirited driving causes wheel slip.
The xDrive system will be offered in the UK with both the 234bhp 225i petrol and the 193bhp 220d diesel engine, from £30,825 (Luxury) and £29,955 (Sport) respectively. Both are exclusively available with a eight-speed automatic transmission, and can be had with launch control and shift paddles from £135.
The whole system adds 61kg to the overall weight of the car, but the official fuel economy figure for the 187bhp 220d XDrive is 61mpg - only 3mpg down from the front-wheel drive model. Emissions also remain highly competitive, at 122g/km of CO2.
Expect xDrive-equipped cars to be available to order in the next few weeks, and deliveries during of the first quarter of 2015.
Would you prefer an xDrive-equipped Active Tourer over the standard car? Let us know why in the comments below...
