This week I bring you the biggest BMW ever produced, the all-new 2019 X7 xDrive40i. This large SUV features 3 rows of comfortable seating and a spectacular interior.
Exterior
The exterior looks great with massive dual BMW kidney grills, dual exhaust, and huge 22” tires and wheels.
Performance
Behind the big grill is a 3-liter 6-cylinder engine with twin-turbos and an 8-speed shiftable automatic that pumps out 355-horses and 330-pound feet of torque. There is a larger V8 available, but honestly this six cylinder feels just fine. When the turbos kick in, it really does feel like a V8.
The xDrive in the name designates that it is all-wheel drive, but you can tell that on regular pavement, it is rear-wheel drive biased, which works well for me and the X7 handles like a BMW sedan.
Interior
Later you’ll see this luxury SUV is pricey, and the reason is the level of features and the outstanding interior.
It is impactful when you open the door to see the white quilted seats with dark accents and stitching everywhere. It looks very inviting and comfortable. As you sit, your suspicions are verified, it is as comfy as any living room or hotel chair you’ve ever sat in.
Your eyes can’t help but go to two 12.3” screens, one right in front of you, the other high on the center dash.
The driver screen is configurable and easy to read and tells you everything you need to know, with a navigation map in the middle.
The other screen operates from the center console and controls the audio system, navigation, Bluetooth, Apple Carplay, the DVD players in the second row, and the climate control.
Check out the crystal gear shifter on the console, and surrounding it there are buttons that control everything. To the left is the traction lock button, camera control switch, park assist, and the start/stop disable button.
Just under that is the pushbutton start, and under that are the drive modes. There is my favorite - the Sport mode, then Comfort, Eco Pro, and Adaptive so you can pick and choose from the other modes. Finally, the Auto Hold button is at the bottom. It allows you to take your foot off the brake when you come to a stop and when you touch the accelerator, it releases.
To the right of the shifter is the round controller for the center screen, which allows you to scroll through everything. Under it is the ride height control and hill descent. The iDrive 7.0 works quickly and is not hard to learn.
Features and Options
My tester has what appears to be every package you can get on this SUV. Options total $28,000 overall, but this Bimmer is ultra-loaded. It has a great head-up display with sign recognition.
It also has a huge Panoramic Sky Lounge moonroof that features 15,000 light elements that you can choose the color of, and that only sets you back $1,500. You get ambient lighting throughout. There is also another moonroof just for the third-row passengers.
The Bowens & Wilkens 20-speaker sound system is as good as it gets, but it will set you back $3,400.
You can play a movie or games on the two rear DVD entertainment system, and it has a host of safety features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and lane keeping assist.
Is this SUV autonomous? Not quite, but close. It’ll keep you a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, it’ll keep you completely in your lane, and if you hit your blinker twice, it’ll even change lanes for you, all without touching the steering wheel. It will not let you keep your hands off the steering wheel for more than a few seconds, however, then it starts to warn you to grab the wheel.
Voice activation is great, just say “HEY BMW” and you can give a command or ask a question, it’s much like Siri or Alexa.
Utility
Bottom line, this X7 is a joy to drive, has an incredible interior, and is quite roomy, especially in the third row.
With the second-row captain chairs, it will seat six adults, no problem. Getting into the third row is easy since the second-row chairs slide forward electronically, and they tilt forward. The third row seats can be folded down from the rear of the X7.
There is a split tailgate in the rear, and you can lower the X7 from there for easy loading. Cargo area is fairly limited if all the seats are up.
Fuel Economy
Gas mileage is ok at 20 in town and 25 on the highway.
Verdict
Total sticker price is just shy of $101,000 and with SUV prices today, and given the amazing list of features, I think that’s a pretty good buy.
2019 BMW X7 xDrive40i Review
- What I liked most: The interior and driving characteristics.
- What I would change: The air conditioned seats just don’t do a good job.
- MSRP: Base price $73,900. MSRP is $100,995 with transportation.
- Fuel Economy: 20 City/25 Highway/22 combined.
- Fuel Tank: 21.9 gallons with filler on the right side.
- Dimensions: 203.3” long/78.7” wide/71.1” high.
- Weight: 5370 pounds.
- Trailer Towing: 7500 pounds.
- Miles When Tested: 9200 miles.
- Official Color: Artic Grey Metallic.
- Spare tire: None-run flat tires.
- Final Assembly Point: Spartanburg, South Carolina.
- 2019 BMW X7 in a few words: Pure luxury without sacrificing the great BMW handling so many love.
- Warranty: 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper, with roadside assistance, and 3-years/36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance.
- Manufacturer’s website: BMW
- Next up: 2019 Chevrolet Corvette
Credit: BMW
