As BMW’s largest and most spacious SUV, the X7 acts as the brand’s flagship high-riding model. In typical BMW fashion, this premium seven-seater comes with all of the bells and whistles you could want, as well as a range of punchy engines that deliver smooth, effortless performance.
If you want to whisk around in effortless comfort, then the BMW X7 is a great way to do it. With space for seven, it’s got lots of practicality in its favour, but it’s also equipped with lots of technology and plenty of high-end materials.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioIt probably won’t come as much of a surprise that this premium seven-seater SUV commands quite a premium. Prices start at £93,160 for a standard Excellence model, rising to £96,160 and topping out at £98,060 for an M Sport Pro car. Of course, add any optional extras and you could quickly push the X7 past the £100,000 mark.
If you are looking to save some money, then you can head to the used car market, where there’s plenty of X7 availability. On AA Cars, we found an M Sport model with just over 8,000 miles on the clock for £89,995, while a standard 40d M Sport car with 4,000 miles could be found for £74,990
The engine range available with the X7 is pretty simple, but all of the powertrains within it are focused on smooth, effortless performance. For many drivers, the standard 40d with its 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six diesel will be more than enough and with a 0-60mph time of 5.6 seconds, it’s also quite speedy. This is matched by a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol in the 40i, which manages 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds, though it will prove thirstier than the diesel. Both of these engines benefit from mild hybrid assistance and four-wheel drive as standard, too. While this doesn’t allow the X7 to run on electric-only power for any meaningful amount of time, it does help to reduce the strain on the engine and, in turn, makes it more efficient overall.
At the top of the range is the performance M60i model, which uses a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine to provide sports car-like performance. However, it’ll be a lot heavier on fuel than the rest of the range.
With its high driving position, the person behind the wheel of the X7 gets a commanding view of the road ahead. The X7 is a very long and wide car, mind you, so driving one does take a little bit of adjustment. Parking the X7 is a challenge, too, though thankfully, all cars come with a good variety of cameras and sensors to help out in this area.
The automatic gearbox that you get in all models of the X7 is smooth to shift and doesn’t suffer from too much ‘lag’. As you might expect, the range-topping M60i model is a very exciting driving experience, with that 4.4-litre V8 providing high levels of performance. However, it’s the standard diesel models which feel the best suited to the X7 as they deliver a good level of performance with running costs which don’t feel too sky-high.
For such a large car, the BMW X7 handles very well. Naturally, its weight can be felt through the bends, but it does a good job of containing this and doesn’t suffer from too much lean in the corners as a result. All cars are all-wheel-drive, too, so there’s lots of confidence-inspiring traction to help you along, no matter the conditions.
If you’re someone who often travels long distances, then you’ll love the X7. It’s impressively quiet - even at high speeds - and there’s very little in the way of wind or road noise to contend with. The engines are also very hushed and save for the occasional grumble when accelerating hard, tend to remain in the background. All cars get air suspension at the front and rear as standard, which helps to make the ride quality even more comfortable. Delve into the settings and you can also make this ride firmer or softer depending on the conditions. It’ll even lower the rear of the car when you’re accessing the boot to make things easier.
It’s a high-end finish that you’ll find in the X7’s interior. There are top-notch materials throughout and everything has a nicely solid build quality to it as well. The interior feels like a good blend of modern and old school features, too. For instance, there’s a large wraparound display, but you still get a handy rotary controller for it and this helps when navigating through menus quickly.
There are some seriously handy features inside, too. One neat touch is the cupholders, which can be optionally equipped with heating and cooling functionality. It’s great for keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. You’ll also find a good variety of USB-C charging points dotted throughout the car so all occupants can keep their devices topped up.
The X7 can be optioned in either seven- or six-seater configuration. The latter option ditches the second row bench for two individual ‘captain’s chairs’, bringing a huge uplift in comfort and luxury. However, in standard seven-seater form, the X7 provides a large amount of space for everyone onboard. Even those in the rearmost row have a good amount of legroom, so there’s enough space for everyone to get comfy.
Boot space depends on how many seats you have in place. With both second and third rows fixed, you’ve got a supermini-rivalling 326 litres on offer, which is still very usable. Fold that third row down and it expands to 750 litres. Finally, with both second and third row down, the X7 can offer 2,120 litres, which is almost van-like in capacity.
The X7 is packed with some of BMW’s latest technology. All cars get a large infotainment system and digital driver’s readout, which combine to make the forward part of the X7 feel quite high-tech. You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, too, so mirroring your smartphone is a breeze. A head-up display is standard on all models, too.
As with any BMW, the list of optional equipment for the X7 is extensive. From massage chairs and upgraded wheels to an upgraded Bowers and Wilkins premium audio system, there’s plenty of scope for customisation. However, it’s a sure-fire way of quickly ramping up this car’s price.
The BMW X7 range kicks off with Excellence specification, which brings a more comfort-focused approach. Though it might be the entry-level specification, it still gets features such as automatic air conditioning with four-zone control, a head-up display and BMW’s latest Operating System 8 for the infotainment. A panoramic sunroof is also equipped and helps to make the cabin feel airy and bright.
Switch to M Sport and you get a more dynamic look overall with redesigned front and rear bumpers, as well as model-specific alloy wheels. Blue brake calipers help to give the X7 a sportier look, too.
At the top of the range sits M Sport Pro. This gets an illuminated version of the famous BMW kidney grilles, giving this car a lot of presence at night. It’s worth adding that the range-topping M60i engine can only be specified on M Sport Pro-specification cars.
There’s a great range of colours to choose from for the X7, too, while BMW’s Individual paint selection allows you to select from a near-endless palette of shades to make your vehicle truly personal.
With features like active cruise control, lane keep assist and emergency stop assistant, the BMW X7 is well equipped to keep its occupants as safe as possible. It also has an alertness assistant as standard, which will monitor the driver and detect any signs of fatigue that they might be showing.
The X7 also uses a series of tried-and-tested engines, so mechanically it should be quite robust. However, with its sheer number of technological features, there is a chance that some electrical gremlins could appear as the X7 ages.
The X7 will be a relatively expensive car to run and own. Since all models cost well over £40,000, you’ll need to pay the Expensive Car Supplement for the first five years after registration, cranking this car’s running costs further. Diesel-powered models are the most fuel-efficient and can deliver around 34mpg combined, with some mild-hybrid technology helping to boost things in this department. This model’s CO2 emissions go as low as 211g/km, too, which is quite respectable for a car of this size.
At the other end of the scale, the M60i will be the most expensive to run. BMW claims it could get up to 23mpg, but drive this car a little quicker and that will quickly fall. Emissions of up to 293g/km CO2 are also quite high and will make this an expensive proposition for business users, too.
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