BMW 7 Series Review 2024

There are more traditional offerings within the luxury segment, but the BMW 7 Series is an opulent saloon that unashamedly aims to bring plenty of tech to the party, too. It does this in its drivetrain, which is a plug-in hybrid set-up that delivers plenty of performance and EV driving range. Inside the 7, you’ll find a huge array of standard technology plus a long options list to turn the interior into something resembling a spaceship control room. Aside from this, the basics are covered, with thickly padded seats and brilliant refinement.

The appeal of the BMW 7 Series in M760e xDrive form, with its stupendous 571PS of power and 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds, is undoubtedly very strong. However, the slightly less potent 750e xDrive still comes with 489PS for pounding performance, effortless cruising and an EV driving range of up to 80 miles. This is the one to go for, and you have a choice of Excellence or M Sport trims to pick from, depending on whether you want a more luxurious or more sporting bent to your 7 Series ownership experience.

It’s impossible to consider the BMW 7 Series without talking about the Audi A8 and Mercedes S-Class. Audi brought all-wheel drive to the sector, as well as weight-saving aluminium construction that is now common to all cars in the segment. The Audi is a more restrained car than the BMW but no less high tech. Mercedes has the lion’s share of the sector with its S-Class, which has a broader range of engine options than the BMW. Others to look at include the Maserati Quattroporte for a more performance-based drive, while the BMW i7 delivers a fully electric alternative.

As its flagship car, BMW’s 7 Series has to be on the money when it comes to fit and finish, and this one certainly is. As well as the solid feel to the handles, buttons and switches, the techy gadgets all have a pleasingly high-grade look and finish.

The cabin materials give off the air of everything being hand-finished, while even the doors close with a barely perceptible shush thanks to their power closing mechanism.

All of this imparts that important sense of letting the customer know where their sizeable money transfer has been spent, and the BMW 7 Series is a car that will last a very long time.

The infotainment in the BMW 7 Series could fill a book if we were to write about every facet of its ability and appearance. In short, there are digital screens for almost every function and need inside the car, as well as a head-up display with augmented reality and smartphone app.

In place of a standard dashboard, the 7 Series comes with a BMW Interaction Bar, which is a display that spans the dash and front doors. It also comprises some of the interior lighting and it acts more like a personal assistant than mere provider of important driving data.

In the back, the infotainment steps up another notch with the tablet screens in the doors, plus the option of a glass rotary iDrive dial for the main infotainment system.

As well as that, there is the vast 31-inch BMW Theatre Screen that does exactly what it says when it’s lowered down from its resting position in the ceiling. It’s an 8K widescreen television that uses an Amazon Firestick to let you watch whatever you fancy. A cripplingly expensive optional extra, but one that many well-heeled customers won't be able to resist ticking.

This is backed up by a Bowers & Wilkins stereo with 18 speakers, or 36 speakers if you go for this option.

When it comes to boot space in the BMW 7 Series, you will have no trouble whether it’s a trip to the local golf course or a month’s golfing tour of your favourite links resorts. At 525-litres, it’s a little smaller than the Mercedes S-Class’ but not so you’d really notice or worry about.

Both versions of the BMW 7 Series come with the same 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine. It’s a turbocharged unit that on its own would probably do decent service in the 7 Series.

However, the 7 is now only available as a plug-in hybrid thanks to the use of a 203PS electric motor that can work on its own to deliver up to 80 miles of zero tailpipe emissions.

Charging up the 7 Series should not take too long with a rapid charger, so expect to spend no more than an hour hooked up to the grid for this. Or you can plug in overnight at home to have the full benefit of the EV range for driving in town.

In the 750e, the 7 Series comes with 489PS, which would have been the preserve of the most outrageously fast luxo-sports saloons no so long ago. Some of this power is needed to deal with the 7 Series’ considerable mass, but it doesn’t prevent it from covering off 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds.

If that just doesn’t sound like nearly enough power or pace for your needs, BMW handily offers the M760e xDrive with an uprated version of the same powertrain. This gives 571PS for 0-62mph in a mere 4.3 seconds, which is only a whisker slower than a BMW M4. Both 7 Series versions have their top speed electronically curtailed to 155mph.

When pulling away briskly from a standing start, such as you might when joining a roundabout, there is a distant purr from the petrol engine in the 7 Series. It’s a pleasing sound but never intrusive.

Alternatively, you can drive the 7 Series in EV mode and you won’t hear very much at all other than the whisper of some wind noise and the very faint burr of the tyres on tarmac at motorway pace.

BMW has pulled off an impressive feat in the way it has insulated the 7 Series’ cabin from outside noises and any thump from the suspension as it passes over lumpy roads.

The outcome of this work is the 7 Series is now one of the most calm, relaxing and hushed places to sit whether you are in the front driving the car or sat in the back flicking through channels on the huge TV screen. Even compared to a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, the BMW holds up very well.

The BMW 7 Series takes a similarly techy approach to safety as it does with other elements of this generation of the German luxury saloon. It has the basics, such as airbags and Isofix child seat anchor points, but the list of active systems is extensive.

It includes autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist warning, crossroads warning, speed limit assist, lane-departure warning, traction control, and a warning not to open your door if something is approaching. 

Then there’s the Driving Assistant with active cruise control, which maintains speed and distance to the car in front. It also has steering and lane control to change lanes automatically when you indicate. The optional Driving Assistant Pro reads the speed limit signs to maintain the legal speed limit when active cruise control is engaged.

In the most recent HonestJohn Satisfaction Survey, BMW ranked in 12th place out of 29 car manufacturers. Not only is that a decent showing, it also puts BMW well ahead of Audi in 16th spot and Mercedes in 20th position.

The 7 Series should prove to be a reliable and dependable companion. It comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, plus six-years and 60,000-miles of cover for the PHEV’s battery.

Both the BMW 750e and M760e sit in the highest insurance bracket at Group 50, so neither is going to be easy on the wallet to get cover for, even with a spotless licence and low-risk address.

Given the large new car price and insurance costs of the BMW 7 Series, it’s reassuring to see you will only pay £10 for first-year Vehicle Excise Duty for any of the 7 Series PHEV range. This is courtesy of their carbon dioxide emissions that lie between 23- and 27g/km.

However, it’s not all plain sailing as the first owner will have to stump up the additional £390 charged for cars costing more than £40,000. That same fee then applies for five years on top of the standard £190 fee for road tax.

Excellence is the entry-level spec for the BMW 7 Series in 750e form, if you can ever describe any 7 Series as entry-level. It comes with a panoramic glass sunroof, adaptive LED headlights and air suspension.

Inside, you’ll find BMW’s Curved Displays, the Interaction Bar with touch sensitive controls, touchscreens in the rear doors, a Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound audio system, and sumptuous leather seats.

There are various driving modes, as well as active cruise control and a parking assistant.

Upgrade to the M Sport version of the 750e and you get 20-inch Aero M alloy wheels, M Sport brakes in dark blue, and various items of M Sport interior trim.

Go for BMW M760e and you get the full BMW M treatment from exterior styling to performance and driving dynamics.

There are M-specific paint colours and interior trim options to choose from, too, so you can be sure that your M760e is not mistaken for a ‘mere’ 750e.

The extensive options list also allows you tailor your 7 Series to suit you. This could mean choosing from standard options or going full bespoke with the BMW Individual catalogue.