xDrive40i 4dr All-Wheel Drive Sports Activity Vehicle
2020 BMW X7

To play on a long-time slogan, the 2020 BMW X7 is the Ultimate Opulence Machine. It's big, it's plush and it'll pamper six or seven people in indulgence. It can have the finest, ornately stitched leather this side of Rolls-Royce, controls topped in glass, and a panoramic sunroof etched with a light-capturing pattern. The stereo can pump out 1,500 watts through 20 speakers. You want swank? The X7 will give you swank. If you want the Ultimate Driving Machine, however, the X7 is unlikely to satisfy. The new-for-2020 X7 M50i should certainly get you closer to that goal (details below), but this is still a colossal three-row SUV with an air-spring suspension designed to comfort and cosset. Frankly, the non-M versions drive a bit like a Range Rover. That's not necessarily a complaint, just know that this isn't a family hauler with the heart of an M3. You may also find more space and versatility in other three-row vehicles, but opulence? That seems unlikely. What's new for 2020? For 2020, the X7 adds the high-performance M50i model to its portfolio on top of the existing xDrive40i and xDrive50i. Besides boasting 523 horsepower, the M50i includes M-specific suspension tuning and exhaust, plus a special M Sport differential. It also gets special styling elements and interior trim. The X7 was all-new last year. What's the interior and in-car technology like? Interior quality is exceptional, which is expected for a vehicle of such a lofty price, but it can indeed get downright lavish when you start checking options boxes. Our test vehicle's BMW Individual cabin upgrades included gorgeous Ivory White/Night Blue leather seating with unique braded seat piping (a whopping $5,150 option), plus a matching blue leather dashboard, an Alcantara headliner, LED-lined panoramic sunroof, and glass-topped controls. The latter results in the shifter resembling some sort of magical amulet from a fantasy novel. Even without all the extra fancy bits, the design is quite fetching and a welcome departure from BMW's usual no-nonsense aesthetic. Technology also dominates, including the large central display that is controlled by touch, voice commands and the iDrive center console knob with accompanying capacitive menu buttons. There's also the silly gesture controls, but they don't work consistently, and as we're not wizards, we prefer not to flick and swish our way through radio stations. Being a wizard would make it easier to operate this latest version of iDrive — see our full review of the system here — as it can certainly overwhelm and isn't as initially intuitive as Mercedes new MBUX or Porsche's latest touchscreen setup. Operating it with Apple CarPlay is a source of frustration at times, but it has improved in recent BMW models we've driven. How big is it? The X7 is the biggest BMW on sale, which can be seen on the outside and experienced inside. Space in the second row is palatial, while adults can even fit quite comfortably in the third row of seats. They can even have their own climate controls, …
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