BMW goes big with the 2019 X7 full-size SUV

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 14, 2019

SUVs are big business for every automaker, but the full-size market has fewer options to choose from than the explosively popular mid-size and compact SUV fields. The full-size market was dominated by GM and Ford for a long time. Now the Europeans are really making an effort to grab some market share with new vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi Q7, and the all-new BMW X7.

The X7 is the largest vehicle BMW has ever made. This SUV offers seating for seven passengers in three rows. Interior space is generous with up to 90.4 cubic feet available with both rows of rear seats folded down. If you’ve got a full set of seven passengers, you still get 12.8 cubic feet behind the third row.

BMW is known for premium luxury, and discerning luxury SUV buyers won’t be disappointed. The X7 is perfectly comfortable, with heated seats designed to fit larger American frames. BMW likes to make a lot of options available, and you can order your X7 with a luxury seating package consisting of specially contoured seats that include ventilation as well as heat. The optional cold weather package extends heat to the outboard second row seats as well as warming the steering wheel and the front armrests.

BMW also offers one of the most advanced tech packages in the business, with twin 12.3-inch screens. One screen handles driver information display while the other controls vehicle features and infotainment. You can use the infotainment screen as a touchscreen or control your functions through the iDrive dial on the center console. An optional set of screens is available for second row entertainment.

The X7 tech story also extends to advanced safety gear. As a family vehicle, safety is paramount in this class. The X7 offers features like active blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance, forward collision warnings with low-speed automatic braking, and parking distance sensors. Automatic high beam control is also part of the standard X7 package.

On the road, the X7 is surprisingly nimble for its size. BMW excels at ride and handling, and they’ve done some of their best work to make the full-size X7 drive like a much smaller vehicle. The turbocharged six-cylinder engine has plenty of power, but not too much. If you want more speed, there’s an available X7 xDrive50i with a 4.4-liter V8 engine.

Finally, every X7 comes with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system as standard equipment. There’s an off-road option package if you think you’ll be going off-pavement, but the X7 is designed as a family wagon. If you’re shopping for a premium seven-passenger SUV, BMW has a compelling offering in the X7.

2019 BMW X7 xDrive40i

Base price: $73,900

Price as tested: $100,395

Type: Full-size SUV

Engine: 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder (335 hp, 330 lbs-ft)

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

EPA estimated mileage: 20/25

Overall length: 203.3 inches

Curb weight: 5,661 pounds

Final assembly: Spartanburg, South Carolina