Endurance test of the BMW 225xe ActiveTourer
30.03.2019
Hardly any glove box in our annual test cars was initially opened more often than that des B MW 225xe Active Tourer. Why? Well, the 225xe is not just a van, but also an electric car with a 65 kilowatt electric motor on the rear axle and batteries (battery capacity: 7.6 kilowatt hours) under the back seat, which can be charged - or better: must. A look at the operating instructions (pages 208–216) couldn't hurt. After more than 60,000 kilometers, we can report that the energy supply hardly causes any problems worth mentioning. Sometimes the charging plug didn’t come off immediately, twice the BMW refused to charge, and the charging connection flap was never clean - there’s nothing more to mention.
Hans-Dieter Seufert, Dino Eisele, Rudi Seufert, Rainer Herrmann, Clemens Hirschfeld, Michael Heinz
The BMW 225xe is the first all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid in our endurance test.
The Active Tourer was also spared breakdowns or unscheduled visits to the workshop. Since there is nothing to report apart from two inspections that brought fresh oil, filters and three new spark plugs to the BMW produced in Leipzig, we turn to the findings from everyday testing.
Each driving mode has one different driving style
Well, some of them used the manual for this too. For example, starting off is always electric (up to 80 kilometers per hour), and thanks to three driving modes, the all-wheel drive moves remarkably differently. In the classic hybrid mode (Auto eDrive), the BMW manages the use of the combustion engine and electric motor very harmoniously. As long as it doesn't start too quickly, the 136 hp petrol engine only works quietly in theBackground, while the electric motor boosts vigorously thanks to its 165 Newton meters on the rear axle.
Hans-Dieter Seufert, Dino Eisele, Rudi Seufert, Rainer Herrmann, Clemens Hirschfeld, Michael Heinz
Unplanned workshop visits were left to him during our test saves.
At the same time, the van is anything but sluggish. Anyone who demands everything from the BMW can sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in around seven seconds and can go up to 202 kilometers per hour. The very easy-revving three-cylinder is a bit pithy, and the six-speed dual-clutch transmission was exemplary fast and jerk-free until the end of the test.
With active route guidance, the BMW even adapts to the route and prepares itself for recuperation on a downhill stretch, for example.
The situation is completely different when the claim ' Max eDrive ”is to be read. Then the BMW is only powered by the electric motor; To put it bluntly, the plug-in is the only Active Tourer that has what was once a BMW-typical rear-wheel drive. At least up to a maximum of 125 kilometers per hour, but unfortunately not too long. It doesn't manage more than 30 kilometers purely electrically.
In the third mode (Save Battery), the BMW fills its batteries by up to 50 percent while driving and maintains the charge level. Helpful if you only want to drive with rear-wheel or electric drive in the target area again.
The consumption is naturally exciting in this context, and here the drive once again proves that plug-in models are only for Commuters can be ideal. The 225xe is heavy, weighs 1,735 kilograms around 300 kilograms more than a 136 hp 218i.
Hans-Dieter Seufert, Dino Eisele, Rudi Seufert, Rainer Herrmann, Clemens Hirschfeld, Michael Heinz
A loading process takes around three hours.
The longer and faster the 225xe is on tour, the fewer the advantages. The fuel consumption varies between six and twelve liters per 100 kilometers! Also because of the very small petrol tank (36 liters), the range quickly shrinks to 300 kilometers.
And, as mentioned, the power supply does not last long. If you add the basic price of the 225xe of 42,250 euros, the BMW quickly loses its appeal.
A fast and stylish tourer right up to the end
It's a shame, because otherwise the endurance runner leaves behind good picture. The chassis, perceived by some as too tight, lets the van nimbly speed through curves. The sports seats offer plenty of lateral support, and you always feel in good hands in the rear too. There is even little to criticize about the quality of materials and workmanship. Despite heavy use, the scratches in the interior are very limited. Another highlight is the iDrive operation of the navigation system and infotainment. Nobody really has to look into the instructions for this.
