Used 2020 BMW 7 Series

One look at the significantly refreshed 2020 BMW 7 Series, and you can’t miss what sets it apart from the rest of the full-size luxury cars out there: a dominant upright grille, which is considerably larger than on the previous model. But there’s more to this BMW flagship sedan than polarizing new looks. It also benefits from an expanded roster of luxury and convenience amenities, which makes it more competitive in a posh, highly technologically savvy segment.

Each rival has its own personality: While the Audi A8 specializes in advanced technology, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is arguably the most luxurious car in the segment, and the Lexus LS brings fine craftsmanship and reliability, the BMW aims to provide a balance between luxury and sportiness.

We drove two European-spec variants of the 2020 BMW 7 Series, the 750i xDrive and the 745e xDrive plug-in hybrid. Though BMW defines itself as being the sports-sedan marque, there’s only so much sportiness a heavy, full-size car can offer. Also, the suspension of the 7 Series is biased toward comfort, and 2-axle air suspension comes standard.

On cobblestone surfaces, the supple suspension gave the 750i xDrive a smooth, compliant ride. On country roads and on highways, acceleration was very good, and there was never a want for more power. The 7 Series’ adaptive suspension allows you to maximize the sportiness of this sedan, and while it does still have some performance chops, the 7 Series is most at home in Comfort mode. The defeatable automatic start/stop wasn’t a distraction, and the interior is pleasantly quiet.

We briefly drove the 745e plug-in hybrid, which was also quiet and smooth. You can choose among Sport, Hybrid, Electric, Adaptive, and Individual modes, and you can reserve your 36 miles of all-electric range for around-town driving. The 745e PHEV drives much like a regular 7 Series, and while 36 miles doesn’t seem like much of an enticement for the additional cost, consider the added benefit of extended overall range when you drive the car as a hybrid.

This is a comfortable, spacious full-size luxury sedan that would be a pleasure to drive on long roads and offers an effortless way to cover hundreds of miles at a stretch.

The 2020 BMW 7 Series has put a stronger emphasis on digital interfaces, starting with the fully digital instrument cluster that’s embedded in a 12.3-inch screen. There’s a 10.25-inch control display at the top of the dashboard that serves as the hub for music, navigation and communications functions, and the iDrive controller uses a touch pad to help you navigate through it all.

An Intelligent Personal Assistant can help you find local restaurants and more, and software and navigation upgrades can be done remotely, over the air. Other modern touches: a wireless charging pad for smartphones, and Apple CarPlay.

Lux features include quad-zone climate control, heated and ventilated seats, and available Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 3D Surround Sound audio, and quilted Nappa leather, a 7 Series exclusive. Rear-seat passengers can use 10-inch HD screens and a Blu-ray player. An available remote lets passengers control their power-adjustable seats, choose massage functions, and adjust heated seats and ambient temperature.

The bolder, more aggressive profile was something global buyers wanted, and for 2020, BMW delivered.

For the new 7 Series, BMW expanded its trademark twin-kidney grille to giant proportions, making it 40 percent larger than it was in 2019. That change makes the front end more imposing, with a taller front profile with more chrome, and the grille sits at a flat, 90-degree angle to the rest of the car.

There are new design elements along the sides and rear of the 2020 BMW 7 Series as well: better defined contour lines on the hood and character lines along the body sides, and vented wings along the sides behind the front wheels. Slimmer, sleeker 3-dimensional LED headlights tie in nicely with the narrow 3D LED taillights, and there are redesigned chrome surrounds for the exhaust tips. The 2020 BMW 7 Series rides on new light-alloy wheels.

LUXURY REAR-SEATING PACKAGE
Buyers of the 2020 BMW 7 Series can envelop rear-seat passengers in opulent luxury. This package comes with power-adjustable rear heated seats and armrests, with three levels of heat, plus eight types of massage. The rear seats are also ventilated. Want to go beyond luxury? The Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package adds a power footrest, rear-seat entertainment, and a 7-inch touch-screen controller.

PLUG-IN HYBRID POWERTRAIN
For 2020, the BMW 745e plug-in hybrid uses a new engine compared to last year’s PHEV model, plus a 12.0-kWh lithium battery that creates more all-electric range. These work together to make the car both more efficient and faster. You can even save the electric power for when you want it, such as driving around town.

The most affordable 7 Series is the 740i, which comes with rear-wheel drive and is powered by a turbocharged inline-6 engine controlled by an 8-speed automatic transmission. Auto start/stop comes standard, as do brake-energy regeneration and driving dynamics control with driving modes. The sedan rides on 18-inch wheels. All 7 Series come with dynamic damper control and a self-leveling air suspension.

Inside, the new 7 Series comes with leather 20-way-power front seats with 4-way lumbar support and driver- and passenger-seat memory settings. Memory settings also include power mirror, audio and climate-control settings. A heated steering wheel is standard. You get a 600-watt, 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, with Apple CarPlay. Android Auto compatibility is not yet offered. But Qi wireless charging does come standard, as do two USB ports.

You can step up to other engines, including V12 power, and all-wheel drive comes on all but the 740i. You can opt for quilted Nappa leather and a variety of wood trim choices. The Driving Assistance Professional Package adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, active lane-keeping assist with side-collision avoidance and automatic lane change. The package also has evasion assistant and cross-traffic alert, as well as steering and traffic-jam assistant.

The Autobahn Package offers active comfort drive with road preview, active roll stabilization, and includes rear-wheel steering. Other extras include power-adjustable rear heated/ventilated seats and armrests, plus eight types of massage, a power footrest, rear-seat entertainment, a 7-inch touch-screen remote, and a 1,400-watt, 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system.

Buyers of the 2020 BMW 7 Series can envelop rear-seat passengers in opulent luxury. This package comes with power-adjustable rear heated seats and armrests, with three levels of heat, plus eight types of massage. The rear seats are also ventilated. Want to go beyond luxury? The Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package adds a power footrest, and rear-seat entertainment with a 7-inch touch-screen control.

The entry point for the 2020 BMW 7 Series is the rear-drive 740i, powered by a turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine producing 335 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. It’s the only 7 Series that comes with rear drive (RWD). Add all-wheel drive (AWD), and you have the 740i xDrive. The 750i xDrive, likely to be the volume seller, has a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine producing 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Then there’s the M760i xDrive, with a V12 engine making 600 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.

If fuel efficiency is what you seek, consider the 745e xDrive plug-in hybrid. Total system output of the 280-horsepower, turbo inline-6 and 113-horsepower electric motor is 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. The plug-in hybrid has more power and a higher range when driving in all-electric mode than in the outgoing model, and the 745e xDrive uses a 12.0-kWh lithium-ion battery, which is stored under the rear seats to free up more cargo space in the trunk. All engines are backed by an 8-speed automatic transmission.

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6 (740i, 740i xDrive)
335 horsepower @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
330 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (RWD), 20/28 mpg (AWD)

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6/12-kWh synchronous electric motor (745e xDrive)
389 horsepower (total) @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
442 lb-ft (total) @ 1,500-3,500 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy: 22 mpg/56 MPGe (with 16 miles of electric-only range)

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (750i xDrive)
523 horsepower @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25 mpg

6.6-liter V12 (M760i xDrive)
600 horsepower @ 5,500-6500 rpm
627 lb-ft of torque @ 1,550-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/20 mpg