insideKENT Magazine Issue 33 - December 2014 | Page 152

MOTORS

BMW 218i Sport Active Tourer
Price as tested: £28,450
Top Speed: 127 MPH
0-60MPH: 9.2 seconds
Economy: Combined 57.6 MPG
Performance: 136 BHP
Combined CO2: 115G/KM
noise inside the car, could be enjoyed without
distraction. The Sport option, which our model
came in, also adds contoured seats, 17-inch
sport alloy wheels, and LED ambient lighting.
The 218i is a very clever vehicle. As mentioned,
the 2 Series is BMW's attempt to capture a brand
new area of the market, and in doing so, it has
taken some extremely bold and brilliant steps.
Borrowing from the legendary UKL1 platform,
also used on the new MINI, gives it all sorts of
advantages. Not only does it sport the same tried
and tested 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine, but it's
also front wheel drive – another huge first
for BMW.
The 218i is certainly no slouch, reaching 0-62mph
in 9.2 seconds, and boasting an impressive top
speed of 127mph, whilst returning 57.6 mpg and
emitting 115g/km of CO2.

Pleasantly surprising for an MPV, the 2 Series
handles nicely, which can perhaps be attributed
to its MINI-esque roots. The Active Tourer is
remarkably agile and responsive, and while you'll
receive good feedback from the steering on
country roads, it also doesn't feel clunky and
heavy manoeuvring around town. And with very
little body roll, despite the high sides, BMW really
has its design down to a fine art.
The standard 6-speed gearbox in the 218i was
characteristically accurate and really did the job;
howev W"