2023 BMW X7

Newly refreshed for 2023, the BMW X7 is a full-size SUV with three rows of adult-sized seating aimed at luxury buyers who also want more practicality than big sedans offer. Controversially, it adopts the same split-headlight front-end treatment that will debut in the 7 Series later this year, filling the main beams with adaptive matrix LED lights that should eradicate glare for oncoming drivers. That moves it away, stylistically, from the big-selling X5 SUV.

The 2023 BMW X7 comes in two basic levels in the U.S., the X7 xDrive40i and the X7 M60i, the latter by BMW’s internal go-fast operation, M Sport. The xDrive40i ’s inline six-cylinder motor is new and more powerful, while the M60i’s twin-turbo V8 has changed significantly but offers the same power as before. The V8 might punch to 62mph a second quicker (4.7 seconds versus 5.8 for the inline-six), but the 40i delivers a combined 22mpg to the M60i’s 18. A 630-horsepower Alpina XB7 is due later this year, while a plug-in hybrid is on the books for 2024.

It wouldn’t be a BMW without a key rival from Stuttgart, so the BMW X7 goes head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz GLS, and they’re both the flagship versions of their SUV ranges. The Mercedes has the edge in comfort, but the BMW tops it on performance. The Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade also match up, as do some versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and Lexus LX. Though the Americans are larger and generally offer more luggage space and towing capacity, none can approach the X7 for sophistication or refinement. BMW’s own iX can, but it’s only a two-row machine.

The BMW X7 xDrive40i’s sweet spot is pitched with a starting price of $78,845, plus MSRPs. But it doesn’t end there, and it can conceivably be ordered tens of thousands of dollars higher, thanks to an extensive list of options, from its $2,900 M Sport package to its $1,600 Climate Control Pro and $2,600 23-inch rims. The automaker has made many previously-optional extras standard, though, including the panoramic sunroof. The updated interior features lovely new screens, but a few too many controls are now routed through them.

The BMW X7 is immensely comfortable, even for six adults, and each of them can have personal air-conditioning climate zones, USB sockets and cupholders. The seating is wonderful and right up there with the Benz GLS; its ability to live in the world of comfort with bursts of sheer performance mark it out as a refined, sophisticated piece of engineering. The interior shortcomings are largely the tiny (10.6 cubic feet) standard luggage area with all seats filled and the confusing mess BMW has made of its air-conditioning controls. 

While the X7’s cruise control is not at the level of the brilliant Super Cruise in the Escalade, it is good enough to take most of the work away from the driver on long highway runs. The X7 is also far more sedan-like to drive than the big body-on-frame Escalade. It’s a very early facelift in the scheme of things, with another four years of life cycle expected from here, and that neatly coincides with its four-year/50,000-mile warranty. Among the biggest and plushest SUVs, the BMW X7 is still near the top of the pack.

Performance: 14/15

Every BMW X7 uses all-wheel drive standard, but the M60i gets a bitey limited-slip differential, cornering braking, an active air suspension and rear-wheel steering as standard. There’s a brand spanking new eight-speed automatic transmission, which moves the mild-hybrid drive inside its bell housing to work directly on the motor’s crankshaft. 

The xDrive40i is the juice here, with a lovely 3.0-liter straight six delivering 375hp at 5500rpm and 398lb-ft of torque, all boosted by 12hp and 148lb-ft of mild-hybrid assistance. It’s good enough to get to 62mph in 5.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 155 mph—but only with the four-zone climate control. The five-zone system cuts the top speed back to 130 mph.

It’s not a full-on M-machine, but the jelly donut is the M60i, with 523hp and 553 lb-ft (from 1800 rpm) from its high-tech 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 (again boosted by electric power). The M60 uses the same automatic transmission but adds a sporty limited-slip differential and bellows to 62mph in 4.7 seconds. It has so much power that it’s apparently unaffected by the five-zone air conditioning.

Full details on the range-topping, tuned-up Alpina XB7 won’t be forthcoming until later this year, but we do know that it will use a tuned version of the 4.4-liter V8 making 630 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. BMW says it’ll be good for zero-to-60 runs of 4.0 seconds flat and 180 mph.

Fuel Economy: 13/15 

The EPA gives the hotter-selling xDrive40i a combined rating of 22mpg, and that’s curiously just 1mpg more than its city cycle due to the mild-hybrid drive filling in the gaps. The M60i shares the same 21.9-gallon gas tank but is a bit thirstier, registering 16 mpg for the city, 21 for the highway and 18 mpg combined. These figures are 1 to 2 mpg better than last year’s X7, courtesy of the mild hybrid systems.

That easily trounces the Lincoln Navigator in either all-wheel drive (18mpg) or rear-wheel drive (19mpg) and is way ahead of the 13 mpg posted by the V8 Escalade. Cadillac’s optional diesel six offers best-in-class economy, but Diesel fuel is also more expensive. This gets trickier with Mercedes-Benz’s comparable GLS series, with its 3.0-liter V6 450 posting 20mpg and its V8 580 registering 18mpg—right on par with the faster M60i.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 10/15

While the 2023 BMW X7 crash figures aren’t out yet, the hardware and platform are unchanged from last year’s X7. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS have previously rated the big BMW, which costs it some points in our evaluation. However, the architecturally similar X5 has a four-star NHTSA overall crash safety rating.

BMW only claims Level 2+ status for the X7, which includes active cruise control—and the ability to remotely drive the SUV into and out of difficult parks via a smartphone from outside the vehicle. Besides the usual lane-departure warning system and blind spot assistant, the X7 goes further, with everything from active brake drying to emergency braking preparation and assistance, but not everything is included. Features like lane keeping assist, lane change assistant, emergency stop assistant, and evasive steering are part of a $1,700 driver assistance package.

Comfort & Room: 14/15

The BMW X7’s middle row of seats slides fore-and-aft by six inches in its three-seat configuration, while both middle seats adjust individually with the six-seat setup. BMW cites rear legroom of 37.6 inches and headroom of 39.9 inches, which is behind the 41.7 inches of the Cadillac Escalade, but the seat is adjustable. The middle row is a very comfortable place to be, with easy visibility of the multimedia screen and a spacious outlook from the large windows. 

Each seat contains its own armrest and has its own cupholders and access to cooling fans and USB sockets. There’s a surprising amount of foot room in the rear, and the third row is not a forgotten space. It has plenty of headroom 33.3 inches of legroom (not as much as the Escalade or Grand Wagoneer, but still quite respectable), its own dedicated panoramic sunroof and its own cupholders, vents and USB sockets.

Infotainment: 11/15

One of the key X7 upgrades for 2023 is the adoption of the BMW iDrive 8 operating system, complete with two curved screens. The driver’s instrumentation is behind a 12.3-inch screen, while the multimedia setup is 14.9 inches. The screen is easy to use, thanks to BMW’s iDrive controller in the center console, but it becomes far less intuitive when it comes to climate controls.

HVAC controls are now routed exclusively through the touchscreen, which means looking at a menu and then more levels of scrolling or touching the screen to make it work. It’s clunky and ill-considered. There is redundancy in that it can all be used via voice control, gesture control, the iDrive controller or the touch screen, but that doesn’t make up for BMW jamming too many systems and layers into the MMI itself. iDrive used to be the gold standard of controllers, so this feels like a retrograde step.

The head-up display is bigger than it was, and though it doesn’t seem to float in the front of the car like the Mercedes-Benz GLS system, it works well and changes with the driving mode. There are two standard USB sockets up front, but BMW has an optional Travel and Comfort pack that includes a USB-A and two USB-C ports in the front, four USB-C ports in the middle and two USB-C ports (with 45 Watts) in the third row. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and simple to connect.

Cargo Space & Storage: 13/15

With all the seats in place, cargo space in the BMW X7 measures a meager 10.6 cubic-feet, though it must be borne in mind that it’s almost a given that the rear row of seats won’t be occupied all the time. Fold down row three and you’re rewarded with 48.6 cubic-feet. That’s less than the Mercedes-Benz GLS (54.2) and much less than the Cadillac Escalade (72.9), but still a big amount for a family of four or five.

Fold all the seats down and the X7 opens up to 90.4 cubic-feet, and it is flexible enough to do anything in between, especially with the 40:20:40 middle row of standard seats. That overall figure is larger than the GLS (79.7) or Grand Cherokee L (84.6), but the Escalade (121 cubic-feet) and Lincoln Navigator (109.1) win out simply because of their sheer size.

The X7’s interior has little cubby holes everywhere, besides its large center console and door pockets

Style & Design: 8/10

BMW’s styling revisions have brought its flagship SUV in line with the new front end on the 2023 7 Series, but the updated X7 is also clearly designed with North America in mind. What might be a confrontational look in Europe becomes a handsome standout in the U.S. context, where more aggressive looks are the norm on big SUVs. That might be why 47 percent of global X7 production is sold here. Optional 23-inch rims also speak to what U.S. luxury SUV buyers want.

Inside, the new curve dashboard display looks more sophisticated than the old arrangement, and everything feels well made. The door and panel shut lines are impeccable, and neither car tested produced either a squeak or rattle. Matching the visuals and feel of the 7 Series, it’s clear that BMW has the pulse of high-luxe buyers.

Is the 2023 BMW X7 Worth it? Which X7 is the Best Value? 

The sweet spot of the BMW X7 range is clearly the $78,845 X7 xDrive40i, with its strong six-cylinder engine, lighter weight and lower price tag. It matches the sweet-spinning engine with air suspension and gives you enough change for the Comfort Package’s compliant, supportive seats. Also, the Sensafin vegan trim option seems to breathe just as well, so it’s not a bad inclusion. 

The xDrive40i is $25,260 cheaper than the M60i, which leaves much more room for extras like the $1,700 driver assistance package, and you’ll just keep saving money every time you refill the 21.9-gallon tank.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2023 BMW X7? 

The six-cylinder BMW X7 isn’t cheap to insure, but it’s about average compared to its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $3,127 for an xDrive40i, though this averages all 50 states. Expect to pay about 10% more for the M60i, and much more for the Alpina. That compares to $2,976 for the Audi Q7, $3,100 for the Mercedes-Benz GLS and $3,226 for the Lexus LX600. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.