2015 BMW 2 Series Active Tourer | new car sales price

BMW confirms Australian specifications and pricing for its first front-drive model.

The all-new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer five-door hatch is now in local showrooms, priced from $44,400.

The 2 Series Active Tourer range features two firsts for BMW, with it being the first front-wheel drive model to come from the Bavarian car maker, and the first to be available with a three-cylinder engine.

There will be four variants of the 2 Series Active Tourer available in Australia, with the price-leading 218i, turbodiesel 220d and top-spec 225i in showrooms now. A mid-spec 220i will arrive locally in January 2015.

Inside the cabin, the new Active Tourer gets a 6.5-inch screen controlled via BMW's iDrive switch for the multimedia, satnav and phone connectivity features. There are also 17-inch alloy wheels, leather multi-function steering wheel, climate control and synthetic leather upholstery.

The 225i increases the alloy wheels to 18 inches and adds paddle shifters, leather seats, LED headlights and cornering lights.

The $44,400 218i will have a 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a combined fuel figure of 5.2L/100km.

The efficiency-leading 220d - 4.2L/100km combined - has a 110kW/330Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and is priced at $47,800.

The top-spec $54,900 225i has a 170kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an eight-speed sports automatic transmission, a combined fuel consumption of 6.1L/100km and the ability to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.6 seconds.

When it arrives in January 2015, the 220i will have a 141kW/280Nm version of the 225i's turbocharged engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission and a combined fuel efficiency rating of 5.9L/100km.

The 2 Series Active Tourer has as adjustable driving modes; with 'Eco Pro' focusing on fuel efficiency, 'Comfort' for every day driving and 'Sport' tweaking the throttle, transmission and steering response for a more dynamic ride.

Assisting with reducing fuel consumption are engine start/stop and brake energy regeneration systems.

The 40/20/40 split rear-seats on the Active Tourer provide flexibility in available storage space, allowing the 468-litre boot to be expanded out to 1510 litres when the seats are folded flat. The base of the rear seats can also be adjusted forward to provide 130mm of additional rear leg room or rearward for additional boot space when the seats are upright.

Safety features of the new 2 Series Active Tourer include front and rear parking sensors, automated parking assistance, reversing camera, lane departure warning, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking system and active cruise control.