The new BMW X7 is the largest car the firm has built, in search of a slice of the luxury SUV class. The X7 combines these important factors, but does it make sense in this country? To find out, we鈥檝e brought it together with a key rival in this upmarket class, the Land Rover Discovery, and an alternative to diesel power, the Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid. The Discovery is closely matched to the X7 when it comes to practicality, equipment and luxury, having been pushed even further upmarket by the British manufacturer. It鈥檚 also one of our favourite premium seven seaters, so it鈥檚 the car the BMW has to beat in this group test. But many British motorists are considering a move away from diesel power, which is where the electrified XC90 T8 comes in. With its plug-in powertrain, the Volvo offers customers the chance to cut their running costs without having to compromise on luxury.
If you鈥檙e looking for a premium SUV with space for seven people, each of these models is sure to hold some appeal. The X7 sits above the X5 in BMW鈥檚 wide-ranging SUV line-up, and here we鈥檙e testing the xDrive30d diesel model. It鈥檚 the 鈥榚ntry-level鈥?engine, and in M Sport trim, as tested, it costs 拢74,695. BMW鈥檚 CLAR platform provides the X7鈥檚 base, so some elements are shared with models such as the X5 and 5 Series saloon. The 7 in the name hints at a family link with the 7 Series saloon, so the firm has focused on boosting luxury in order to match its flagship limousine. Height-adjustable air suspension is fitted as standard; this means the car can be lowered to help with access and to improve aerodynamics, and lifted up to increase ground clearance. It鈥檚 four-wheel drive, like both rivals, so it can go off the beaten track, but there鈥檚 much less focus on its ability here than in the Land Rover.
You can specify a 拢2,595 xOffroad package, which adds rough-terrain driving modes, a mechanical differential lock and a sump guard. Under the bonnet there鈥檚 a 261bhp 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine, which powers the wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Interior quality is as impressive as you might expect from a flagship premium SUV. The materials in the cabin look and feel expensive, while build quality is superb, too, even if the design itself is derivative. The Discovery isn鈥檛 built as well and the Volvo鈥檚 materials look a little cheaper. There鈥檚 lots of kit, and M Sport cars have 21-inch alloys, four-zone air-con, a panoramic sunroof, and two 12.3-inch screens for the sat-nav and dials respectively. In our 0-60mph tests, it managed a time of 6.7 seconds, which was a second behind the powerful XC90 T8, but 1.1 seconds ahead of the Discovery. It was a similar story from 30-70mph through the gears, where the XC90 came out on top with a 5.1-second time, the BMW was second (6.4 seconds) and the Discovery last (7.0 seconds). All three of these models are more than quick enough considering their size and weight, though.
The X7鈥檚 engine adds to the car鈥檚 luxury feel because it鈥檚 really quiet, yet delivers strong mid-range torque that鈥檚 very useful when you鈥檙e on the motorway and faster roads. Wind and road noise are very well suppressed in the BMW鈥檚 cabin, too. Comfort is another X7 strong point, because it rides smoothly over pretty much any road surface. It鈥檚 softly sprung, though, which means that undulating roads can cause the car to gently pitch and roll. While it鈥檚 not uncomfortable, this does result in a bit of unwanted head movement. It鈥檚 the same story when it comes to cornering, because there鈥檚 plenty of body roll. It鈥檚 not enough to be disconcerting, however, and is to be expected in a huge SUV. In fact, the well-weighted steering, strong engine and plentiful grip mean the X7 is surprisingly nice to drive. The Discovery is as good, though, if not as agile, and both shade the XC90 for engagement. The BMW鈥檚 eight-speed gearbox is excellent, too: it鈥檚 smooth and blends its shifts very well in auto mode, yet it鈥檚 also responsive when you need it to kick down and doesn鈥檛 leave you waiting for the shift.
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