Here’s the updated, refreshed BMW X7 - and with a bold style overhaul that includes an aggressive new front end, the large SUV is making a big statement.
The X7 sits at the summit of BMW’s SUV range, ahead of the X5 and the sleeker, more coupe-like X6.
And the X7 has been a commanding presence on UK roads since 2019, going up against the Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
But while the X7 has always oozed luxury and comfort, this revamp makes it look more honed and forceful, with much sharper lines proudly displayed up front.
BMW calls the new styling ‘impactful’, with innovative ‘split headlight’ units used for the first time, which house both the daytime driving lights as well as those used to illuminate the road ahead.
There’s ‘cascade lighting’ for the taut new kidney grille, too, which is illuminated either when one of the doors is opened or while driving at night.
New 23-inch lightweight alloy wheels are also available as a factory-fit option for the first time on the X7.
As with previous X7s, this version is a seven-seater as standard but can be equipped with six seats instead. With all the seats in place, the BMW X7 has 326 litres of load capacity. With the backrests of the second- and third-row seats folded down, this expands to a maximum 2,120 litres. To simplify loading, the standard air suspension can be lowered at the touch of a button. Added to which, the new BMW X7 has a split tailgate.
The well-appointed cabin is bursting with generous amounts of kit fitted as standard. That includes a sport leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles, four-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, panoramic glass sunroof, Harman/Kardon audio, heated comfort seats for the driver and front passenger, as well as a tray for wirelessly charging your mobile phones.
Like with the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, the X7 also boasts an eye-catching curved glass screen that houses a 12.3 inch info display behind the steering wheel as well as a 14.9 inch infotainment system.
And the ballistic missile of the X7 range - the 4.4 litre, V8 petrol-engined 530 hp M60i xDrive - also gets its own unique styling traits and sports exhaust system. The M60i xDrive can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds.
The BMW X7 M60i xDrive features matt black bars on the kidney grille, a model-specific trim element bearing the M logo next to the air breathers on the car's flanks, 22-inch ‘M’ light-alloy wheels and twin tailpipe finishers in black chrome. The interior of the M60i also gets a host of additional design flourishes, including trim strips in ‘Fineline’ fine wood and an M-specific ambient lighting bar.
Elsewhere in the X7 - which consists of the 380 hp xDrive40i petrol or the 340 hp xDrive40d diesel - 48V mild hybrid technology is used across all of the engine variants for the very first time.
A BMW spokesperson explains:
“An electric motor that helps the combustion engine to deliver a smooth, dynamic, and efficient drive is installed in the transmission's compact housing. The mild hybrid system generates torque of 20Nm and an output boost of up to 12hp, depending on the driving situation. In the new BMW X7 xDrive40i, the mild hybrid system is also used to provide purely electric driving at very low speeds. As a result, it comes with an acoustic pedestrian protection system.”
All BMW X7 models are fitted as standard with a new eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. There’s a new ‘Sprint’ function, activated when the driver pulls the left-hand shift paddle for at least one second. The autobox will then shift into the lowest useable gear, for when a quick burst of speed is required.
All-wheel-drive is the default setting across the range, though the X7 will cleverly switch power to the rear wheels alone when there’s no call for 4x4 traction, saving you money at the fuel pumps.
Meanwhile adaptive two-axle air suspension with electronically controlled dampers is also standard fit for the X7.
As you’d expect from a flagship Beemer, the X7 comes loaded with driver assistance and safety systems. Most notably, the front-collision warning tech has been updated to now react to oncoming traffic, warning the driver of pedestrians and cyclists approaching the vehicle parallel to the road from the front or rear.
The BMW X7 is available to order now, priced to buy outright from £81,600. Lease prices coming soon!
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