BMW 225xe Active Tourer anyone driven/got one?

[yumma]

I’m seriously considering buying one; nearly new so I dodge the initial depreciation hit. On paper these seem to stack up and I have a test drive booked at the weekend.

I am looking forward to trying the new technology and the facts and figures look impressive; albeit I appreciate I won’t get anywhere near the potential 140mpg, but would be happy at half that, plus the 6.7 second 0-60 is only whilst there is full battery power available so I can kiss that goodbye after 20 miles or so. But what are they like day to day? Are there any big turn offs? Was it a good buy? Has it been reliable?

Ultimately I want a good year round workhorse doing very mixed driving, I want some comfort, economy and reliability.

Any experiences and opines will be gratefully received, maybe even throw in viable alternatives; but nothing VAG as I’ve had it with their hideously unreliable cars and have vowed never to buy anything from VAG again. A Lexus could be an option I guess?

Thank you

Darren

[JasonG]

I have been driving one at work for a little while now, mostly around London but I did take it for a run to Cumbria and back a couple of months ago.

I like it.

The 20 mile electric range is ok for town but won’t really be used on motorway cruising.
The performance of the vehicle is pretty good, with excellent acceleration in “sport” mode, although I tend to be a gentle driver on the road and I was seeing 50 mpg on the Cumbria run.

The only things I found irritating were related to the electronic gizmos, which are unnecessarily complex and fiddly to operate, although the satnav is very good at routing around traffic.

Do note that, as a plug-in hybrid, the engine does not charge the battery although regenerative braking does so you do need a mains supply to charge the pack.

Oh, and the darned thing reverts to “normal” rather than “Eco” mode every time you start it; I didn’t work out if this could be altered.


Sent from my calculator using a lawnmower.

[senwar]

Not driven one of these, but don't budget on getting half the quoted mpg - in normal day to day mileage, that is highly unlikely.

I had a golf GTE - quoted 166mpg. I went with the same, hoped to get 80-90. I regularly got 40mpg at best. Hated it. In fairness, my driving profile probably didn't suit a PHEV but the figures are just a blatant mis-sell for me.

If you just use it for short trips, then it may be fine - but if you do regular longer trips then as I say, don't budget for 70mpg

[yumma]

Drove one today, absolutely loved it; and this is coming from someone with a Mini JCW, MX5 (well it is TZ after all) and a TT, the BMW 225xe was great, even if I get 60mpg I’ll be chuffed. Great tech, good drive, pretty nippy and hides its weight well in the bends. Picking it up next weekend.