It is no secret that SUV’s are very much loved by consumers in the United States. BMW’s manufacturing plant in Greer, South Carolina is the largest plant owned by the Munich based company. That may not be much news for some. However, when you consider all the vehicles produced at the plant are SUV’s, it puts things into perspective. The X3, X4, X5, X5 M, X6, and X6 M are all manufactured at “Plant Spartanburg.” For model year 2019, BMW is adding another SUV, or SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) in BMW lingo, to the lineup.
While the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi Q7, Infiniti QX80, and Lexus LX have all been on the market for some time, BMW is just now entering the full-size luxury SUV segment with the 2019 X7. There is no doubt the X7 is full-size. It is a full 9-inches longer than the X5 and sports the largest kidney grille you will find on any BMW. It also takes a cue from the other 7 in BMW’s lineup, with a chrome accent bar connecting the taillights.
The X7 comes in two levels: xDrive40i and xDrive50i. The former will get you a 3.0 liter inline six turbocharged engine making 335 hp with 330 lb-ft of torque. The 50i adds a 4.4-liter twin turbo V-8 with an additional 121 hp to total 456hp and has 479 lb-ft of torque. With the V-8 the X7 can go 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The inline six takes 5.8 seconds. Power is delivered through an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive is standard on both models.
BMW isn’t holding back when it comes to options for the X7. Standard equipment includes four-zone climate control, a 10-speaker audio system, wifi hotspot, and wireless charging. A new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display and 12.3-inch center display provide information and controls for most of functions. The infotainment controls are now haptic instead of physical buttons. The X7 also comes with BMW’s personal assistant. This system allows you to say, “Hey, BMW” to ask for navigation directions, a parking space, or to raise the temperature in the cabin. Other options that are available include a head-up display, a rear entertainment package that includes a DVD player for the 10.2-inch touchscreen displays, soft-close automatic doors, temperature controlled cupholders, and a panoramic LED roof.
The X7 comes standard with seven seats. A six-seat configuration is available that includes second row captain’s chairs. The third-row has cupholders, armrests, a sunroof, and a sun shade to keep passengers comfortable.
The entry level 40i starts at $73,900 and the range topping 50i starts at $92,900.
