BMW 225xe Active Tourer 2016 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle review
Fossil fuels won't be powering our cars for much longer. So, expect to see more and more PHEVs and EVs on our roads.
Fossil fuels won't be powering our cars for much longer. So, expect to see more and more PHEVs and EVs on our roads. The new BMW 225XE Active Tourer is a PHEV, or, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
It raises the issue around infrastructure and the fact that not all public charging stations are the same. If you're contemplating a vehicle that can be charged by a power point, like the Beemer, you need to know this stuff. Some cars charge by Alternating Current (AC) and others by Direct Current (DC).
Inside and out
We're talking about a $68,500 BMW here, so thankfully it does feel like you get an acceptable amount of technology and specification for your dollar. All the PHEV stuff aside, standard equipment also includes super bright LED cornering headlights, cruise control with braking function to avoid nose to tail accidents, parallel park assist which physically assists steering the vehicle into parking spaces while the driver just works the throttle and brake, leatherette interior (clearly not leather, but still easily wiped clean and smart looking), satellite navigation with 6.5" infotainment screen with BMW's iDrive controls and a really handy heads up display projected onto a pop up screen in the driver's line of sight with speed and navigation prompts.
The seats are not super comfortable, but the dash materials and German quality are satisfyingly exquisite to appreciate every time you jump in. There's even a My BMW remote app and connected drive portal to view vehicle range, charging status and charging time from your phone.
On the road
The BMW 225xe Active Tourer Hybrid sits on the AC only side of these, which means they are more common, but charge the vehicle's battery pack slower - about an hour for a full charge. The DC alternatives are less common, but charge an EV in just minutes. So what this means for any EV owner is you need to acquaint yourself with exactly what type of charger stations exist in your neck of the woods as that could, at least while charging stations are still quite a rarity, impact on the convenience of ownership.
Of course, you can charge the 225 from your home outlet and for those travelling no more than say, 30km a day, you may never spend another cent on gas, unless of course, you forget to activate the Eco mode EVERY TIME you get in the car.
Honestly BMW, why make such an eco-focused car and then not make eco mode the default setting? Anyway, Mercury Energy quote the power costs to run in EV mode equates to a litre of petrol costing 30 cents, so all going well, it's an incredibly cheap car to run day-to-day.
Take all the plug-in charging component out of the equation though and I also like having the added confidence of the 1.5 litre, 3 cylinder turbo that also resides under the bonnet, which charges the battery like a generator as well as providing occasional power to the front wheels (the Electric motor drives the rear wheels).You're not reliant on purely electric motivation and can still motor around with brilliant fuel economy of just 2.1l/100km.
Conclusion
The combination of petrol and electric power, along with the four-wheel drive aspect makes for an awesome turn of speed from a standstill and even on wet greasy roads the 225XE launches from the lights like a performance car.
I'm not an "enthusiast" driver by any stretch, but I have spent enough time behind the wheel of BMWs to feel how they are dynamically brilliant cars to drive. You don't get that same sensation of laser accuracy with this car.
The steering is so light there's no feeling to it at all and it doesn't change direction as easily as I would like, it's a bit like the no-meat bacon alternatives I tried during my vegan phase. Does the job, but ultimately leaves you wanting the original thing. As my first foray into the future of motoring, it was certainly a bigger shift in driving experience than I'd anticipated and ultimately there were compromises, offset by really outstanding benefits.
It certainly leaves me even more curious now about this rapidly emerging technology, it's genuinely fascinating such an integral piece of our culture, the car, is going through the most significant evolution in over 100 years and the legacy of the BMW 225XE is no fashionable fad, but merely the start of a technology tidal wave to come. I have to say, if PHEV's and EV's can continue to be as good as this, I'm on board.
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