BMW is a German brand that’s manufactured in the U.S. It’s produced many cars for years, and not long ago it reached the SUV market as well. Now, BMW has taken its stamp of luxury style and brought it to its largest SUV yet, the BMW X7. 

Consumer Reports tested out the X7, and they had plenty of praises for it. With all the great features, is it really worth the high price tag it has on it?

What they loved about the BMW X7 

You can’t go wrong with a powerful engine. The BMW X7 offers a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged motor that provides fast acceleration. Paired with it is an eight-speed automatic transmission, which they had plenty of praises for. 

Acceleration in this model is surprisingly fast. For a 0 to 60 mph run, it clocks in at 6.5 seconds. Not bad for such a large SUV. There’s also a turbo V8 engine available, but Consumer Reports found little reason to choose it since there’s more than enough power in the standard six-cylinder. 

Another feature CR loved was the five-zone climate system. The BMW X7 has a ton of climate features to experiment with. The vehicle they used had the Cold Weather package added to it at extra cost. This gave them heated front seats, front armrests, and rear seats as well.

Were there any drawbacks?

The BMW X7 does have a few things that detract from the vehicle. Fuel economy is one area that could use improvement. While it’s rated to get 32 mpg on the highway, it disappoints with its 14 mpg city driving. That makes the overall rating a mere 22 mpg. CR gave it a score of three out of five. 

They seemed to like the cargo area fine, but they had a couple of minor points against it. The second-row captain’s chairs don’t fold down, so it makes it difficult to store long or wide items in the back. So, they recommend that if you need that space, you should stick with the standard bench seat instead, because that one will fold easily. 

Access to the front and second-row seats is great, with plenty of room to maneuver around. However, getting into the third row isn’t quite as easy. The second-row seats will slide forward with the push of a power button, but there still isn’t much room to get through into the rear seating. 

Will the BMW X7 provide value?

The BMW X7 CR tested cost them $84,000 for the base model. It’s a high price tag to pay, but Consumer Reports says that it provides plenty of value, and if you can afford it, it’s well worth the price. There are a few reasons for it. 

It’s a large SUV, and these vehicles can be difficult to park in some areas. They can also be hard to control when making turns or going around curves. However, with the X7, the SUV has the ability to back itself into parallel or perpendicular spots. Also, the suspension is to dream for by keeping the vehicle nice and steady as you tackle sharp curves and rough pavement. 

One area that pleased all the reviewers that drove it was the driving position and the super comfortable seating. No matter how tall or short you may be, the X7 can find a position that allows you to see clearly over the hood of the car. There’s also enough soft padding on the armrests and the center console to keep your elbows from getting sore. Plus, the front seats are firm and supportive with tons of adjustments. 

The BMW X7 is the epitome of luxury with tons of features, and plenty of comforts – all for a high price tag. But if you can comfortably pay it, it will be well worth your purchase. Plus, it’s large enough to haul 7 people, making it a great family vehicle.