[curfew]

This is my first post, and found this forum from Google.

I'm from Sweden(got an electric parking spot at home.), and planning to get a car within next month, saw a used Sport Mode, 2019 BMW 225xe iperformance (included winter tyres) at the BMW dealer for 25k gbp/ 32k usd, 2000km/1242 miles on clock.

How's the reliability of 225xe?

On the same time, Kia Niro Hybrid(not plug in) is on sales too, brand new with winter tyres for 24k gbp/30k usd.

I mostly drive in town, and weekend trips to the country side or friends that stay in other city.

Since both price range are pretty similar, what do you guys recommend?

 

[quakered]

I personally would not buy any secondhand hybrid. They are vastly more complex than a normal ICE car and assuredly more than a BEV. When they go wrong they are likely to cost a fortune to repair. I am not sure of your motivation in getting a new car but I would avoid a non plug-in hybrid. What is the point of using petrol to generate the electricity you need? They are just reducing their manufacturing costs by not supplying charging facilities in the car - just a cynical wheeze to sell apparently "green" cars to the gullible!

 

[dk6780]

This forum is rightly generally anti-hybrid so you may be asking in the wrong place.
A number of people have experienced issues with the early BMW 225s with engine and hybrid drive issues. The later ones seem better.
The Kia are generally reliable but much smaller.
Why not go BEV?

 

[curfew]

Thank you guys.

Tested drive the Kia Hybrid today, the engine sounds horrible, feel like am driving a diesel car, so Kia Hybrid is out of my choise.

Tested xe225 as well, very pleasure to drive, pretty quiet and smooth. Will need to read further about xe225.

No BEV for me yet, since it's pretty expensive at moment.

 

[bert111bel]

Thank you guys.

Tested drive the Kia Hybrid today, the engine sounds horrible, feel like am driving a diesel car, so Kia Hybrid is out of my choise.

Tested xe225 as well, very pleasure to drive, pretty quiet and smooth. Will need to read further about xe225.

No BEV for me yet, since it's pretty expensive at moment.

i expect my bmw 225xe next week, is a 2018 and 18000 km on the odometer, i trade my kia niro hybrid for the bmw, nothing can beat the consumption of the niro but as mentioned before, engine is quite flat, no thrills, am curious and can hardly wait until next week ...

 

[Thingwall]

I bought a used 225xe with 2,000 miles on in May 2019, it was 6 months old. Normally when they have such low mileages they are ex demonstrators or dealer staff cars. I've now driven 25,000 miles had one service and no problems. In the recent hot weather it has been giving up to 24 miles of charge but around 18/19 in the winter. If you can plug in at home it means you can set the car to warm up before driving off, very handy in Sweden I would have thought. I looked at full electric but they are still too expensive for me, I paid £25k for my car. If you are doing local journeys you might be able to use electric most of the time.
On longer journeys, between 100 and 200 miles I get 55 to 65 mpg (19.5 to 23 km/litre) even more if I can charge up at my destination.
I would expect the BMW to drive better than the Kia and I really don't see the point of a non plug in hybrid.

 

[Thingwall]

I would also say that the 2019 car you are looking at probably has the latest battery that is slightly larger than the one in mine so should do a few extra kilometres.

 

[f30paul]

Also your 2019 will have the later KLE (charging unit) which has been revised a number of times since its release in 2016... i for one am ensuring I’ve always got warranty cover for the 67 plate 330e KLE!

 

[bert111bel]

I would expect the BMW to drive better than the Kia and I really don't see the point of a non plug in hybrid.

anyway I had no plug in with the kia and yet it is easy, no problems with connecting cables etc, the only thing was a slow engine when it was not in sport mode

 

[Chester.phev]

I have had a 225xe for just over 3 years and have driven 64k mikes in that time. Have really liked the car which is civilised, economical to run (when plugged in every day on drive at home), and versatile for family trips and holidays. Runs well on electricity alone for trips from home around town. No big deal to plug in every time the car is back on the drive to ensure battery always topped up.

Only reliability issues have been niggles. Seat belt alarm on passenger seat has been over sensitive, going off when no-one in the seat - stops if attach seat belt. Intermittent and annoying problem with electronic fuel cap release not working. This has been investigated without solution by BMW twice. I note that there is lots on BMW forums about fuel cap issues for many models. Cap releases easily using emergency release string accessible from inside the boot. Otherwise, has been a really nice car to own and I recommend it. Have just changed cars through my work lease scheme to a new Volvo XC40 recharge.

 

[f30paul]

The fuel cap release at least for the 330e has to be done in a particular order, otherwise you have to use the boot release cable! Taken a bit of getting used to - must press the dash button before attempting to press and open the filler cover!