BMW 7 Series

Wow, these sedans have tremendous thrust. With such an abundance of power, there is always a burst of acceleration waiting to be unleashed at the driver’s discretion. The creamy smooth V8 in the 760i xDrive brings a more visceral, yet cultured, experience that is gratifying for all the senses. It’s no surprise that the eight-speed automatic is superslick, as it is in other BMWs. This engine also incorporates a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup that smoothes out the stop/start system and supports accessories working unobtrusively at idle. The EPA pegs the 760i xDrive at 21 mpg combined—not bad for a 6,000-pound AWD cruise ship.

With the new 7, BMW may have finally surpassed the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in terms of ride comfort. No matter how rough or undulating the road is, the 7 shrugs it all off under its wheels. The air suspension keeps the body settled with controlled and gradual motions that make passengers feel exceedingly placid. The big 7 hides its girth well as it gobbles up corners and snakes through narrow country lanes. Although the steering feels rather artificial, the car’s four-wheel-steering contributes to quick turn-in response. It’s uncanny how this 6,000-pound limo remains even keel, particularly with the optional active roll stabilization.

There are some quiet cars out there, but the new 7 and the i7 in particular take it to a new level. The cabin is extremely well hushed. Unlike the similarly priced Lucid Air, there is no electric motor whine and practically no wind noise. The 760i xDrive’s V8 is silky-smooth and has a muffled, satisfying purr.

The seats are not only sumptuous, comfortable, and supportive but also therapeutic. The massage feature is a real treat and might help keep drivers alert and fresh on a long drive. With the optional Rear Executive Lounge Seating, even rear passengers get reclining seats, a massage feature, and a 31-inch theater screen that’s deployable from the ceiling. It has a built-in 5G wireless connection and Amazon Fire TV. Passengers can stream content from Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube. Two sets of Bluetooth-enabled headphones are included.

The 7 Series’ cabin is exquisite, thanks to the Alcantara-lined headliner, Merino leather seats, brushed aluminum speaker grills, and crystal finishing touches on the iDrive controller, gear selector, and parts of the dash.

The surround sound system, supplied by Bowers & Wilkins, is spectacular. Any audiophile would appreciate the fidelity and richness of every guitar string, piano key, or vocal cord.

For the ultimate convenience, the doors power open at the touch of a button and only open according to as much clearance they have to swing out. These are heavy doors, so it can be an appreciated frill. Soft closing goes without saying at this price.

As is the case with other recent BMWs, controls have become more distracting. That’s mostly due to the fact that all climate functions are done through the center infotainment screen. The familiar iDrive controller is still useful in jumping from function to function, say, from radio to phone or navigation. To its credit, the head-up display is one of the best, and it allows convenient scrolling with a steering wheel thumbwheel through radio stations. The phone button allows quick access to recent calls, also using the HUD.

We certainly don’t appreciate that the lumbar support adjustment is done through the screen rather than by the actual seat controls.

Here’s another cause for added distraction. Adjusting the gap for the adaptive cruise control might happen more frequently than BMW thinks, based on the situation and the speed. Letting drivers adjust the following gap on the fly with a steering wheel button in the cruise control cluster is our preferred way.