According to BMW, by purchasing the 225xe iPerformance you get much more than just a practical and fuel efficient car; you also get a dynamic car.

However, it’s doubtful that most buyers would consider this model simply because they can chuck it around corners better than they could its rivals.

The trick up the compact PHEV is its electrified all-wheel drive system. The front wheels are powered by a good old-fashioned combustion engine, while the rear is powered by an electric motor, both working together whenever the driver needs all four wheels to take action.

The combustion engine is a three-cylinder turbocharged 1.5-liter petrol unit with 136 PS, whereas the rear-mounted electric motor adds a further 88 PS to the mix for a combined output of 224 PS and 385 Nm (284 lb-ft) of torque. This results in a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of just 6.7 seconds, which isn’t bad at all considering that this MPV weighs as much as 1,735 kg (3,825 lbs).

Of course, you’ll also hear about electric top speed, range, energy management and so on. The question is, does all this make PHEV 2-Series Active Tourer an attractive proposition?

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