A Week With: 2023 BMW X7 xDrive40i

For 2023, BMW has overhauled its luxury flagship X7 SUV, giving it an updated look, more power, and modern technologies.

The X7 made its debut in 2019 and quickly established itself as the third-most popular SUV of the brand, behind the X3 and X5, and the refresh keeps the X7 as cutting edge as its contemporaries.

Overview

For 2023, BMW offers its largest SUV in ascending X7 xDrive40i trim with 6 cylinders, or as the X7 M60i xDrive and Alpina XB7 with 8 cylinders. All-wheel drive is standard. Both the exterior and interior get a makeover, and the result is a fresh, modern SUV with the style, size and technology that make modern motoring so effortless.

Exterior

There’s no denying the 2023 BMW X7’s size. At more than 6.5 feet tall, 6 feet wide and 17 feet long, this is among the largest vehicles BMW has ever built. It’s every bit the alpha male as its competitors, which include Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade.

But the BMW is distinguished from these other brawny boxes by BMW’s big grille, squinty LED headlamps and taillamps, and an increasingly boxy, slab-sided style that seems de rigueur in a class where grace curries less favor than space. But it lends it a familial resemblance to the excellent new 7 Series, while packing a far greater visual punch, so no complaints here. But if it’s not enough, opt for the M Sport Package, which adds M-specific exterior design cues such as a large lower air intake and high-gloss black exterior trim and double-spoke 21-inch M light-alloy wheels.

Interior

Opulent and beautifully executed, the X7’s interior is lavish space that constantly rewards you for spending so much money. The revised instrument panel receives a massive new curved display consisting of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch iDrive display, where most of the car’s controls now reside.

For those of you who prefer physical buttons, well, that seems so 1995. The instrument panel’s new look is underpinned by an ambient light bar. Other touches are delightful, if optional, such as the leather-covered instrument panel, second row Captain’s Chairs, five-zone climate control, front and rear heated seats, massaging seats, touchscreen gesture control, heated and cooled cupholders and glass controls. 

Once seated, you’ll appreciate the X7’s upright driving position, which provides a good view of the road. Getting in or out is a cinch, unless you’re sentence to the third row. Best to leave those seats folded unless you truly want to punish someone.

Powertrain

The BMW X7 xDrive40i is powered by a turbocharged Miller Cycle 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine generating 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 40 hp and 52 lb-ft from the 2022 model. If that doesn’t seem like enough, the X7 M60i xDrive receives a revised 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8 X7 M60i xDrive receives a revised 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8 rated at 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque that propels this q-ship to 60 mph in a brisk 4.5 seconds. Opting for the Alpina brings 4.0-liter bi-turbo V-8 producing 630 hp, 590 lb-ft of torque and 4-second 0-60 mph times. But then again, the X7 xDrive40i seemed just fine, thank you. 

Safety and Technology

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash tested the 2023 BMW X7. Driver assistance systems include Front Collision Warning, Active Cruise Control, Parking Assistant, Trailer Assistant, Exit Warning, Blind-Spot Detection, Lane-Departure Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and a 360-degree camera.

The infotainment system uses BMW’s iDrive 8, which incorporates 5G connectivity and BMW ID, which saves a customer’s preferences on their smartphone for each BMW they drive, plus a digital key for Apple iPhones. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless device charging and BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant. Consider it BMW’s Alexa or Siri.

Driving Impressions

The BMW X7 xDrive40i delivers a driving experience commensurate with its price tag. The 6-cylinder mild hybrid driveline is impressive for its lack of turbo lag, providing a smooth, steady flow of power thanks to the 8-speed gearbox that promptly delivers unnoticeable shifts. It’s aided and abetted by the adaptive air suspension, that offers up different experiences based on the driving mode the driver sets. 

Set to Comfort mode, and the BMW X7 provides a plush ride comparable to that once offered by Cadillacs and Lincolns, but no longer. But switch it to Sport and it provides the quick steering, snubbed down suspension and remarkable grip that make this big boy hustle through corners with an effortless ease that imparts confidence. That’s not true of many large SUVs, but it’s true of this one. 

And it’s quiet, blessedly quiet.

2023 BMW X7 xDrive40i Specifications

Wrap Up

The changes BMW has brought to its biggest SUV keep it competitive in an increasingly competitive class. It delivers the effortless opulence expected of a flagship, as well as a range of driving personalities to suit your mood. It’s enough to rate this X7 a 10.

2023 BMW X7 xDrive40i­— Frequently Asked Questions