Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Living large and traveling rapidly
F or buyers needing three rows of seats — with each occupant riding in high style — they can’t do much better than the comfy confines of the 2020 BMW X7.
The range-topping utility vehicle is one of seven such “X” Bimmers, with all but two being legitimate wagons (the X4 and X6 are basically hatchbacks). Its uniqueness lies in its fulsome size plus a capacity to accommodate up to seven passengers. Unlike the trimmer X5’s available third (kid) row, the rearmost seat is standard in the X7 while the second-row bench can be substituted with a pair of optional captain’s chairs.
Both the X5 and X7 use BMW’s latest rear-wheeldrive platform, however the X7’s is longer by nine inches and has five-plus extra inches between the front and rear wheels. The increased dimensions give two adults in the rearmost seat reasonable leg space, aided by a second-row bench or chairs that can be poweradjusted fore and aft by about six inches.
The X7’s styling — especially with a roofline that’s two inches taller than the X5’s — presents a formal, executive-like presence. The dominating kidney-shaped grille announces to the world which brand of vehicle you’re piloting, and the chrome trim throughout reinforces the fact that abundant luxury is a major X7 talking point.
The lower section of the twopiece liftgate/folds out for easier cargo loading and unloading. Although there’s a dearth of space in back when all three rows are occupied, dropping both the secondand third-row seatbacks creates a perfectly flat load floor for transporting all manner of bulky items.
As you would expect with any size-large BMW, the X7’s passenger compartment speaks fluent opulence. There’s an abundance of wood and polished metal trim, along with leather coverings for the seats, door panels and floor console. A standard panoramic sunroof keeps the interior cheery and bright during the day, while at night the ambient lighting provides a choice of 12 subtle hues.
The dashboard has a digital display while the nearby 12.3-inch touchscreen operates the audio, communications and navigation systems.
For its inaugural year, the X7 comes in three performance flavors that are identical to those available in the X5. The xDrive40i edition is equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 335 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. The xDrive50i gets you a twinturbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that punches out 456 horsepower and 479 pound-feet. For best in thrills, the M50i uses a specially tuned version of the V-8 with 523 horses and 553 pound-feet.
The six-cylinder is rated at 20 mpg in the city, 25 on the highway and 22 combined.
The one-and-only transmission is an eightspeed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
By BMW’s stopwatch, the 5,400-pound xDrive40i reaches 60 mph from rest in 5.8 seconds, the xDrive50i takes 5.2 and the M50i cuts that to 4.5. Those numbers are attained using the standard launch control that, when engaged, causes the car to accelerate in the quickest possible manner with zero wheelspin.
The X7 comes with allwheeldrive and an air suspension that increases or decreases the ride height by up to 1.6 inches. Additionally, BMW’s Driving Dynamics Control has Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes. They alter the transmission and throttle operations according to the dial selection.
When equipped with the proper trailer hitch, the X7 can tow up to 7,500 pounds.
Pricing starts at $74,900 (including destination charges) for the xDrive40i, while the xDrive50i costs $93,600 and the M50i rings in at $100,600. All versions arrive with enough premium content and active-safety features — such as autonomous emergency braking — to meet (and likely exceed) the expectations of most luxury-car buyers, but, just in case, there are optional dress-up packages to feast on.
Whichever your choice, the big, bold, BMW X7 will provide first-class travel.