- For: Quality, interior space, ride comfort
- Against: Expensive, very big on British roads
- Verdict: Good things come in large packages
The X7 is the antithesis of a compact crossover. It’s an unashamedly big, bold SUV that has much in common with the tech-laden BMW 7 Series – including an unmissable front grille.
At 5.1 metres long and two metres wide, the BMW dwarfs even the Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. As a result, it’s arguably too big for British roads.
Not that anyone in the seven full-size seats will have cause for complaint. Most engines are 3.0-litre six-cylinder motors, either a 340hp petrol in the xDrive40i or a 265hp diesel in the xDrive30d.
The 400hp M50d diesel has now been discontinued, so the sole flagship X7 is the M50i petrol – powered by a mighty 530hp V8.
To drive, the X7 is predictably opulent, bordering on regal. BMW has borrowed expertise from Rolls-Royce to create a luxury SUV that insulates its occupants from the outside world.
All versions are quick, but the M50i reaches 62mph in a feisty 4.7 seconds.
You may not like the brashness of the X7, but there are few better ways to travel. Except perhaps in a Rolls-Royce…
KEY INFO
- Launched: 2019
- Facelifted: TBC
- Due for replacement: TBC