2023 BMW 7-Series

The design inside and out could stand to be scaled back about 10% to make it more graceful. Up front, the nose stands tall and the overall blocky lines remind us of current pickup trucks. The BMW twin-kidney grille is as large as ever here, dominating the face. It’s available in black, and an available black treatment for the front end stretches a Joker’s grin across the car’s face. The headlights are divided into lower and upper units, with daytime running lights, side marker lights, and turn signals that sit like eyebrows over the inset lower low beams and high beams. The top lights can be optioned with Swarovski crystals.

Along the sides, the car’s angular details play off the blocky look, and chrome trim surrounds the windows and outlines the bottom of the car. It gets thick at the rear windows’ so-called Hofmeister kink and the whole effect can look ostentatious when chromed wheels are chosen. The rear view is the least bold, with the trunk lid set high like it has been for two decades. However, we see an unflattering Buick look here.

Inside, a mix of fantastic materials can clash as too many of them come together to create visual overload. The faceted look of the BMW Interaction Bar that runs under the screens and into the doors is the flourish that tips the scale too far. Leather, wood, and stainless steel work well together, however, and buyers can get open-pore wood or even a new cashmere upholstery for a warmer look and feel.

It comes standard with rear-wheel drive in the 740i and the other models feature all-wheel drive.

How fast is the BMW 7-Series?

The 7-Series is quick in every form. The turbo-6 increases from 335 to 375 hp this year, and delivers a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds. The 536-hp twin-turbo V-8 cuts the time to 4.1 seconds. The gas engines send their power through a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic. Both engines have good power down low, and dole out passing punch with ease. The V-8 has a more refined growl, but only when pushed hard.

The platform may be the same, but the driving experience is rather different between the gas cars and the electric version. While the 7-Series grows with this generation, it’s still a sporty choice among large sedans. The standard air suspension and adaptive dampers work to give the car both a smooth ride and to fight lean in corners and make the 7-Series agile for its size. It doesn’t feel as big as it is through corners, in part because of standard rear-axle steering that can turn the rear wheels up to 3.5 degrees opposite of the fronts to decrease the car’s turning radius. Our only complaint is the steering. While it’s quick and direct, it’s overly light and that saps some of the predictability.

BMW i7 performance

The i7 wears its hefty 5,917 pounds well. Despite an additional 950 pounds and almost the exact same 536-hp as the V-8, the i7 is just 0.4 second slower to 60 mph at 4.5 seconds. Its power, which comes from a 258-hp front motor and a 313-hp rear motor, is even more immediate than the V-8 and always feels smooth, though it isn’t quite as strong at freeway speeds. Drivers can let the car coast like a gas car with an automatic in drive or choose a B mode that allows one-pedal driving down to a stop.

The battery pack keeps the car’s weight low because it’s located under the cabin floor. That lets the car turn in well to corners, though the steering is equally light. While the i7 doesn’t feel as light on its feet, some unique technology helps it come close. Its stability control system uses the brakes for torque vectoring and the car’s software can direct the front motor to add regen in a turn to put more weight over the front and help the car rotate. Thankfully, its brakes also have a natural feel, which can be an issue with electric cars as they blend regen and friction brakes.

The rear seat is almost as comfortable in its standard form and far more comfortable with an Executive Lounge package that allows the rear passenger-side seat to tilt up to 42.5 degrees and comes with a foot and calf rest. The front passenger seat moves as far forward as possible and its backrest tilts forward, which opens up enough room for one 5-foot-9 editor to sit with his leg stretched out completely without touching the seat ahead. Very few vehicles on the market have that much room.

The trunk has a decent 13.7 cubic feet of cargo space, but the i7’s battery cuts that down to 11.4 cubic feet. The i7 also lacks a front trunk, which is a concession to its gas platform and a missed storage opportunity in an electric car.

Materials quality and fit and finish are top notch, though it seems like cost cutting that leather upholstery isn’t standard in a near-six-figure car. The car offers beautiful materials, such as open-pore wood, stainless steel speaker grilles, and various levels of leather. 

7-Series infotainment

The new technology stands out as soon as you get behind the wheel. BMW places a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen under a single piece of glass. The infotainment screen is arranged like a smartphone for ease of use, and it absorbs many controls to limit the number of buttons. Below that sits a new BMW Interaction Bar that extends across the dash into both doors. Drivers can control seat heating and pick stored seating positions from this bar.

Rear-seat passengers get standard 5.5-inch touchscreens that allow them to control climate, audio, rear entertainment, and seat adjustment functions, and also activate the rear sunshades. 

The rear entertainment system has to be seen to be believed. It uses a 31.3-inch screen that drops down from the ceiling to give passengers more screen real estate than many living rooms had two decades ago. It offers an 8K-resolution picture and can stream Amazon Fire TV. However, it also blocks the view from the rearview mirror, and BMW oddly doesn’t offer a rear camera mirror.

The 7-Series comes standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, intersection assist to prevent turning left against oncoming traffic, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitors with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive LED headlights, and a safe-exit system. It doesn’t have active lane control standard, but it’s part of an optional system that also includes automatic lane changes, emergency stop and crash evasion assist, and a system that lets the driver hands-free on highways up to 80 mph. Automatic parking is also optional.

Which BMW 7-Series should I buy?

The base model offers lots of features and plenty of power. No need to go beyond that. Standard equipment on the 740i includes synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, navigation, satellite radio, a Bowers and Wilkins surround-sound audio system, a head-up display, remote start, a panoramic sunroof, and 20-inch alloy wheels. We wouldn’t blame you for adding leather upholstery.

How much is a fully loaded BMW 7-Series?

The 760i adds full Merino leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, power-adjustable rear seats, and rear-wheel steering, plus the more-powerful V-8 powertrain for $114,595. The i7 is equipped like the 760i but with tan electric powertrain.

BMW sells the 7-Series with an excellent 4-year/50,000-mile warranty that includes three years or 36,000 miles of scheduled maintenance.

Buyers have more and less efficient choices. The other gas engine is a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 that delivers EPA ratings of 18/26/21 mpg, which isn’t bad for a car with 536 horsepower. Both gas engines are aided by 48-volt mild hybrid systems.

With its 101.7-kwh battery pack, the new BMW i7 gets up to 318 miles of range, depending on wheel size. In its most efficient form, on 19-inch wheels, it gets 2.6 miles per kwh.  It can charge from 10-80% in 34 minutes on a DC fast-charger or take a full charge in 10.5 hours on a 240-volt outlet at 11 kw.