BMW 2 Series Active Tourer xDrive arrives

Details of the xDrive four-wheel-drive versions of the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer have been revealed ahead of going on sale in the next few weeks.

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When the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer – BMW’s front-wheel-drive take on the new Mercedes B-Class – was revealed at the start of the year, BMW promised there’d be xDrive four-wheel-drive versions by November. And here, by the skin of their teeth, we get details.

The xDrive 2 Series Active Tourers will come in two flavours, a 225i xDrive petrol and 220d xDrive diesel, although there’s some doubt whether BMW will offer the 225i in  the UK as UK buyers are so besotted with diesel cars. Which is a shame.

But the xDrive isn’t permanent 4WD, as under normal driving circumstances it still performs as a FWD car, with all the power going to the front wheels.

But if the system senses slip, up to 100 per cent of the power can be sent to whichever axle has the most grip and can infinitely adjust the torque if you’re pushing on to garner the most grip.

The xDrive setup does add weight the the Active Tourer – around 60kg – but that hasn’t impacted too much on economy; the 220d xDrive still returns official economy of around 61mpg and emissions of 122g/km, less than 5 per cent off the FWD versions.

The new 2 Series Active Tourer xDrive is expected to go on sale next month, with first deliveries expected in the UK before the Spring. Expect prices to be around £1500 more than FWD versions.