At the very top of the BMW SUV food chain, you will find the pinnacle of luxury and performance, the X7 M60i. A vehicle that embodies high levels of power with a sprinkling of poshness. We spent a week commuting with the X7 and this is what we found.
Interior & Space
Tectonic Movement
When it comes to the mainstream three-row luxury performance SUV segment there are few vehicles that can compare to the BMW X7, in fact, there are very few vehicles in this segment. BMW has recently updated the X7 with its life cycle impulse and in mid-2023 the new model went on sale in South Africa. The X7 has always been about excess, to be bigger, better, and more brash than its competitors.
Having spent some time with the previous generation X7 we were quite interested to see what type of changes had been made and eagerly awaited our 7-day test where we commuted in the city and also had the opportunity to stretch its legs on the freeway. There are only a few visual cues that let you know this is a refreshed vehicle as most of the changes are under the metal.
Styling
The X7 has always been big, the new model is still on the old platform coming in at 5.2m long. Upfront you will find the conversation starting grille and a set of split-level matrix LED headlights, down the side a set of M wing mirror caps, 22 ” wheels, and an aggressive appearance borrowed from the 7 Series sedan. There are soft-close doors with rear privacy glass, and at the rear, a set of 3D patterned LED taillights.
As a package, the X7 may be big and brash but it is easy on the eyes and seems completely at home in the city.
Space & Interior
With its black-on-black interior, the interior does seem a little sombre but popping open the dual sunroof lets in enough light to brighten things up a bit. The dash has an intuitive layout but is devoid of a few essential switches but we will get to that momentarily. The touch surfaces are all covered in plush Merino leather and are very comfy.
Passengers get a split rear bench seat which is electrically controlled. Control panels can be found in the panels left and right for accessing 3rd row but, the motorised seats are painfully slow and overcomplicated and not easy to figure out. Third-row passengers don’t get a lot of legroom and 2nd-row passengers only get ample room when they can set their seating further back with no passengers in 3rd row.
Occupants all get temperature control with zoned climate control while front passengers get heated and cooled seats up front. Loading is easy with the split rear tailgate and seat arrangement can be controlled from the boot with trunk monted seat controls. With the 3rd row up, boot space is limited at 300l but drop that row and it can be expanded to 750l.
Comfort & Convenience
Technology is the centre draw piece of the new X7. The Germans have completely overhauled the interior tech where drivers will now find iDrive 8 software displayed on a large HD TFT, large screen. A splash of colour comes from the active ambient lighting and a LED bar on teh dashboard that changes its colour to match teh drive mode and even flashes when you receive a call. Blank space is filled with carbon fibre weave panels on teh dashboard and centre console where you will find the wireless charger as well as heated and cooled cup holders.
The new iDrive software is intuitive to use but with many of the functionalities that would normally controlled with a manual switch or button being buried in sub-menus in the infotainment, it does become annoying. However, BMW has remedied this with a voice assistant that can basically control everything from lighting and windows to sunroofs and climate control by simply telling it what to do.
Entertainment is taken care of by a powerful Bowers and Wilkins audio system which when turned off revealed incredibly low NVH levels. We did pick up a small issue with the Bluetooth and Wireless Apple CarPlay in that the software no longer supported the current release and we were unable to find an update option.
Performance
The party piece of this luxury performance SUV is the completely new S68 4.4l twin turbo v8 with a 48v mild hybrid system. The powerplant still makes the same 390kW and 750Nm as the outgoing model but this is most likely due to this being an emissions-compliant engine but is a good kick-off point for future development.
0-100km is dispatched in 4.2 seconds and you could theoretically hit a top speed of 250km/h, you do get a power boost push-to-pass option at the push of a button from the hybrid system which is coupled to the 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission itself – not the engine.
As far as the drive is concerned it is a super stable composed drive that can be attributed to the dynamic handling package that features ECO Pro, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ drive modes and when not fire-breathing its way down a freeway, can be a very palatial experience due to the air ride suspension and xDrive.
Having a vehicle of this size that is equipped with launch control and rear-wheel steering for a tighter turning circle, boggles the mind, its not as loud and shouty as the previous model but my word when you poke this bear it gets up and attacks viciously.
Fuel Economy
The M60i can be very well behaved in and around town returning 8.2l/100km when kept at decent speeds, However, when urged to get on with it, will escalate to 13l and beyond when persuaded, not that it takes much to persuade anyone to peg the throttle and attack every piece of asphalt with aplomb!
Safety
The old saying that there’s safety in size rings so true here as the X7 scores a solid 5 stars on the Euro NCAP. With a host of passive and active safety features such as a Driver Assist Package for level 2 autonomous driving, ABS, TSC, Hill Hold Assist, TPMS, 7 airbags and an active voice assistant that can take care of interior controls, the X7 deserves its safety reputation.
Price
Naturally, the X7 is not cheap but for what you’re getting for your money it is very fair and is comparable to its few market-segment competitors.
| Model | Price (incl. VAT) |
| BMW X7 xDrive40d | R 2 017 457 |
| BMW X7 xDrive40d M Sport | R 2 092 457 |
| BMW X7 M60i xDrive | R 2 426 574 |
Get a free valuation of your old X7 here
Competitors
The X7 only really has three competitors locally those being the Range Rover, Mercedes-AMG GLS and Audi Q7. In terms of power delivery, the X7 reigns supreme but may fall short on the luxury options.
Verdict
Usually, when we discuss vehicles of this calibre it normally surrounds the luxury fitment and tech features, the X7 just dials everything up to 11 by maxing out all its power stats. No vehicle that is this big should be as fast and handle as well as this does and it just seems so wrong but feels so right. Currently, when talking about PERFORMANCE luxury SUVs the BMW is king and let’s just say a cohort of government ministers can’t be wrong!
Keyword: BMW X7 M60i xDrive (2023) Review