2019 BMW X7 Review Review

It looks huge…

It’s certainly not small. Measuring 5151mm long, the new X7 sits between the regular Range Rover and the long-wheelbase version, and weighs 2.3 tonnes. Over-sized kidney grilles that make 007 nemesis Jaws seem cuddly only emphasize the girth.

At least there’s plenty crammed in, with standard 40i equipment including 21-inch alloys, air suspension, panoramic sunroof and comfort access with soft-close doors.

It’s also practical. The row-two seating can electrically motor back and forth by up to 14.5cm, and there’s even enough space for large adults in the third-row seats where so often these spaces are little better than a 911’s rear seats.

With row-three in place you’re left with just 326 litres behind the split tailgate (less than a Golf), but dropping it flat unlocks 750 litres, and with row-two and three folded flat you’ve got 2120 litres in play.

A six-seat layout is optional, with twin ‘captain’s chairs’ in the middle row, not the usual bench.

Presumably this £70k off-roader is suitably posh too?

It is. Build quality is excellent, the extended leather upholstery has a rich, buttery feel, and the gearknob and iDrive controller have a cut-glass finish, like a crystal decanter.

There’s also the very latest BMW infotainment. It includes dual 12.3-inch digital screens and the iDrive 7.0 operating system. You control the latter with a mix of touchscreen inputs, twirls of the rotary control, voice commands and even gestures like backhanding thin air to dismiss an incoming phone call. If it sounds baffling on paper, it quickly becomes second nature.

What’s the BMW X7 like to drive?

BMW gave its engineers two key targets: improve on the already plush comfort of the 7-series limousine, and make the X7 the best-driving SUV in its class. We say they’ve cracked it.

With fluid-filled suspension bushings and sound deadening in every nook and cranny, the X7 at a cruise is like wearing comfy shoes and noise-cancelling headphones – whether it’s road imperfections, wind noise or tyre roar, it’s all nicely muted.

Despite this, the X7 copes well on a twisty road, especially with its adaptive suspension firmed up at the press of a button. Nothing of this size and weight will ever feel truly dynamic, but the steering is pacey and nicely weighted, there’s a notably rear-biased feel from the all-wheel-drive system that adds to the eagerness, body motions are nicely controlled, grip incredibly high. It handles like a significantly smaller car.

335bhp isn’t a huge amount given the 2.3-tonne kerbweight, but the 4.0i feels smooth and linear, shifts quickly gently through its eight ratios and makes a subtle but likeably purposeful noise. For normal driving it strikes a nice balance between refinement, performance and fuel economy.

In a nutshell

BMW driving purists will instinctively dislike the X7, the brash kidney grilles do it no favours, and small sales volumes mean it won’t change the rules like the X5 once did. But the BMW X7’s mix of luxury, practicality and dynamic handling is certainly unrivalled by anything else for comparable money in this segment.

Similar Car Reviews

The Audi SQ5 Compact SUV blends interior quality with tech. It handles well and the latest model has switched back to a 3-litre turbo diesel engine.

Jaguars first compact SUV the Jaguar E-Pace is an attractively sporty design inside and out which is based upon the Land Rover Evoque.

If you’re looking for something a little different from the SUV, a family estate car might be something to consider. The Volvo V60 is spacious, has smart interiors and fantastic seats, as well as it’s city safety autonomous braking as standard, it’s a serious choice for any family car.

Finally, if you’re looking for something a bit beefier, then look no further than the Land Rover Discovery Sport, or the Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic.