BMW 230i Convertible F22 vs BMW 225xe Active Tourer F44: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 230i Convertible hits 100 km/h in 5.86 s versus 6.83 s for the 225xe Active Tourer. Despite lacking instant torque, 252 hp of power compensates. At this point, the 230i Convertible leads by 0.97 s and sits roughly 12 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the 230i Convertible is doing 129 km/h against 124 km/h for the 225xe Active Tourer. The gap is 0.61 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the 230i Convertible crosses the line in 14.21 s versus 14.97 s. The 0.76 s gap represents roughly 32 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the 230i Convertible continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 178 km/h versus 172 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the 230i Convertible finishes in 26.01 s versus 27.17 s, with a 1.16 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 230i Convertible is capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h, the 225xe Active Tourer at 202 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 10.70 seconds. The 0.97 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.