Used 2020 BMW X7

The 2020 BMW X7 is the German automaker’s answer to the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLS. Built at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant, the X7 joins the more than 400,000 other BMWs built in the U.S.A. This large, 3-row luxury SUV may be the biggest model in the lineup, but it still rides and handles like a BMW should. There’s plenty of room inside for adults in all three rows, with a large cargo area and numerous upscale features.

Power for the 2020 BMW X7 comes from one of three engine choices ranging from 335 horsepower in the X7 xDrive40i to 523 horsepower in the new X7 M50i. An 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are standard. In comparison, buyers will note that the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLS is a bit larger, while the Lincoln Aviator and Lexus GX are considerably less expensive.

We spent time in both the 2020 BMW X7 xDrive40i and xDrive50i, and discovered the two vehicles have very similar personalities. The V8-powered xDrive50i is clearly our favorite, thanks largely to its lively and responsive 456-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8. Throttle response is instantaneous and the snarling growl passing through the exhaust tips is intoxicating. While both models have their top speed limited to 130 mph, the V8 offers much better acceleration for passing and merging, capable of rocketing this big SUV to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds versus the 6-cylinder’s time of 5.8 seconds.

On the open road, the X7 feels stable and planted at high speeds. It is also amazingly quiet, creating a deceiving perception that the X7 is actually going slower than it really is. The ride is aided by BMW’s air suspension that eliminates most jolts and jostles without creating the feeling of floating over road imperfections. Switching to the Sport mode firms up the suspension and drops the vehicle 20 millimeters, the latter to help lower the center of gravity for improved cornering response. The 8-speed transmission’s shift points become quicker in Sport mode and the throttle more responsive. The trade-off for the big engine is fuel economy, which on our long travel from Tallahassee, Florida, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, averaged around 17.8 mpg. Not great.

Comparatively, the turbocharged engine in the X7 xDrive40i was equally happy, although not quite as eager. Then again, the xDrive40i starts about $20,000 less than its V8-powered sibling, and that can buy you a lot of options. We found the 3.0-liter turbo to be a smooth engine with linear acceleration and very little sign of turbo lag. The inline-6 is quieter than the V8 and we think this will probably appeal to many drivers who feel a luxury SUV should be just that: quiet. On our return trip, our 2020 X7 xDrive40i returned nearly 22 mpg on the highway, a vast improvement over the V8.

The 2020 BMW X7 can be ordered as a 7-seater with a center bench or a 6-seater with 2nd-row captain’s chairs. Either way, this large and opulent new BMW SUV is handsome inside, with lots of rich seat and dash leather complemented by attractive wood trim. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is modern and highly configurable, while the seventh generation of BMW’s multifunction iDrive controller has its usual spot on the center console, backed by a few redundant (but appreciated) buttons.

Overall space inside this big BMW SUV is excellent; there’s enough headroom and legroom in both of the X7’s rear rows for 6-foot-tall passengers to sit comfortably. Moreover, the 2nd-row seats tip forward to aid ingress and egress. Also, the X7’s middle- and back-row seatbacks can be automatically lowered (or returned to their upright position) via a handy button in the cargo area.

The new X7 does not stray far from BMW’s current design language; it’s immediately identifiable as a large BMW SUV, thanks in part to a familiar silhouette and the largest kidney-shaped grilles ever to grace one of the Munich-based company’s products. While the slim headlights emphasize the width of the X7, BMW says the prominent side character line is a hallmark of the company’s new design language. In back, a chrome bar between the X7’s slim LED taillights recalls that of the 7 Series sedan.

SLIDING 2ND-ROW SEATS
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to passenger seating, which is why we love the 2020 BMW X7’s sliding 2nd-row seats. This motorized feature is standard on either the 2nd-row bench or captain’s-chair seats, helping accommodate passengers of all sizes. Elongated rear doors also make access easier.

ONE-TOUCH FOLDING SEATS
A set of switches located in the cargo bay allows the middle and 3rd-row seatbacks to be folded for maximum cargo space. With both rows folded, the X7 can accommodate 90.4 cubic feet of stuff. Push another button and the X7 lowers itself to making loading large or heavy items a bit easier.

All 2020 BMW X7s are fitted with 21-inch wheels, run-flat tires, heated front seats, air suspension, a panoramic moonroof, onboard Wi-Fi, wireless smartphone charging, tinted rear privacy glass and power-adjustable seats in all three rows.

Also standard: 4-zone climate control, Apple CarPlay and Active Driving Assistant, a safety suite of technologies that includes blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning, rear-collision warning, frontal-collision warning (with pedestrian protection), rear cross-traffic alert and speed-limit information. The xDrive50i adds remote start, soft-door close, rear side-window shades, gesture control and a 360-degree top-view camera system that aids parking as well as a head-up display.

A Dynamic Handling Package, which includes M Sport brakes, Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview, and an M Sport Differential, costs $4,750 on the xDrive50i. The same package, without the sporty limited-slip M differential, is available on the xDrive40i for $3,850, and $3,450 on the M50i that already has M Sport Brakes and an M Sport differential.

Other options include 22-inch wheels, 5-zone automatic climate control, aluminum running boards, a tow hitch and a $2,800 Premium package that has remote engine start, soft-close automatic doors, electric window shades and a 1,500-watt Harman Kardon stereo with 20 speakers. If you order the new X7 with a Panorama Sky Lounge LED roof (part of the Executive package) it simulates a starry sky at night, even when it’s cloudy outside.

An available Driving Assistance Professional package adds extended traffic-jam assistant, while the $2,950 Off-Road package adds under-body protection, upgraded xDrive and four mode settings for sand, rocks, gravel or snow. Last, families may want to consider the $2,200 Rear Entertainment package. It includes a pair of 10.2-inch full-HD touch-screen displays (on the back of the front seats), a Blu-ray-compatible DVD player, an HDMI port and two headphone jacks. Those in back can use their own media sources or keep track of the X7’s journey via the nav system.

It’s good to see an inline-6 under the hood of the X7 xDrive40i. It’s an aluminum-block 3.0-liter engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger that enables it to produce 335 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. EPA fuel economy for this smooth and well-balanced engine is a respectable 20-mpg city/25-mpg highway.

The 4.4-liter V8 in the xDrive50i, with twin turbochargers nestled in its vee, produces 456 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Naturally, fuel economy takes a hit, the xDrive50i rated by the EPA at 15-mpg city/21-mpg highway. In the new X7 M50i, the same V8 is tuned to pump out 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.

All three engines mate to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and endow the new X7 with a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds.

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (xDrive40i)
335 horsepower @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
330 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/25 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (xDrive50i)
456 horsepower @ 5,250-6,000 rpm
479 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (M50i)
523 horsepower @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg