BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport (2022 - )

The BMW i7 is a four-door, five-seat saloon car that oozes elegance, is packed to bursting with high-end technology and boasts the fifth-generation of BMW’s eDrive technology.

The cabin resembles an aircraft cockpit with every on-board luxury imaginable and, with its limousine status, back seat occupants are very well catered for with their own climate control, entertainment systems and even a seat that converts into a bed.

Customers can choose from entry-level i7 eDrive50 models in Excellence and M Sport trims with 449bhp, i7 xDrive60 in Excellence, Excellence Pro, M Sport and M Sport Pro specifications delivering 536bhp or the range-topping i7 M70 xDrive delivering a whopping 650bhp.

We opted for the i7 xDrive60 M Sport model for our test.

The first thing you will notice about the BMW i7, even when viewed from a distance, is the massive kidney grille that has divided opinion in recent years. But whatever your view, it certainly makes a statement and gives the car a strong road presence.

To accentuate its all-electric performance, the i7 also boasts a number of accents in BMW i Blue and there are smoked tail lights, privacy glass, flush door handles, a panoramic sunroof, split headlight clusters and stunning 21-inch alloy wheels.

Moving inside, you will be greeted by one of the finest cabins available today with a real sense of opulence and craftsmanship throughout. This is mainly down to the mixture of quality wooden inlays, leather (or vegan) upholstery, decorative chrome and carbon-effect trimmings, along with crystal glass controls and deep-pile carpets throughout. It all sounds a little over-the-top, but the BMW designers have created a gorgeous cabin environment for all occupants.

Expect to find seats that are powered and can be heated, cooled and even offer massage functions, along with some of the most advanced tech available. A slightly curved display, which is a combination of the infotainment and driver information screens, stretches two-thirds of the dashboard and this offers access to BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment system.

The set-up is impressive with sharp graphics and rapid responses, with the many on-board systems accessed via touch, a rotary controller or the voice-activated personal assistant. 

The list of features is seemingly endless with the likes of sat nav, a pitch perfect Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system, full smartphone integration and much, much more. In fact, you will probably be discovering new features long after you buy this car.

And back seat passengers also gain their own climate control, powered and heated seats (that can be reclined), individual infotainment screens and plenty more besides.

Powering the i7 xDrive60 M Sport is a 102kWh battery pack with two motors – one on each axle - delivering all-wheel drive. With 536bhp and a mighty 745Nm of torque the performance stats are certainly not for the faint-hearted. This test model can reach 62mph from a standing start in 4.7 seconds and tops out at a limited 150mph. But perhaps most importantly, the test car has a driving range of 366 to 388 miles between charges.

The acceleration through the two-stage single-speed transmission is instant and, despite its size and hefty weight, the balance and agility through twisting bends is outstanding.

There’s all manner of drive modes, including Personal, Sport and Efficient to alter the handling and a Boost button will prime the car for a short burst of full-on power. There are also ambient modes called Expressive, Relax, Theatre and Digital Art that change the appearance and atmosphere within the cabin. For example, select Relax and it closes the sunroof and starts the seat massage function.

However, this is also a car that will tick all the right boxes for any high-end executive that wants to be chauffeured on longer journeys while they work away in the peace of their surroundings. It is smooth, refined, comfortable and somehow the highly effective suspension system manages to make our road network appear ironed out.

The BMW i7 is a large saloon car that stretches 5,391mm in length, is 1,950mm wide, 1,544mm tall and has a wheelbase of 3,215mm. These dimensions make it one of the largest saloons on our roads today and they also result in a vast cabin area with space for five occupants to sit in complete luxury. Ideally, two occupants will sit most comfortably in the back, not because of a lack of room, but simply because the two outer seats are quite large.

Even with its panoramic glass sunroof, there is ample headroom in the back for six-foot-plus adults and they are treated to bundles of leg and elbow space too. Lounge seating introduces outer rear seats that can be reclined, with the seat behind the front passenger reclining to a bed similar to those found in business class flights. And the rear seats also boast cushion-like headrests that you will want to detach and take home with you – they are that soft.

The boot, accessed via a powered boot, is well-sized with a 500-litre capacity plus space beneath the floor to store charging cables. This is less than some rival models offer such as the Mercedes EQS saloon and that model also has a traditional tailgate which is more practical.

But throughout the i7’s cabin is a host of storage options, including a glovebox, deep central cubby, door bins, seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders, along with numerous charging ports to keep devices connected on the move.

From a practicality point of view, it takes 34 minutes to charge the i7’s battery from 10 to 80 per cent via a 195kW fast charger or 9.5 hours from 10 to 100 per cent if charging from a 11kW wallbox.

The comprehensive line-up costs from £100,205 for the i7 eDrive50 Excellence and tops out at £162,355 for the high-performance i7 M70 xDrive model. 

Our test car cost £118,470, although there were a number of options fitted. These included a Gran Lusso interior that added fine-wood oak finish and cost £6,000. But the biggest option was the Ultimate Pack, costing £28,000 which introduced a wealth of extras, such as 21-inch Star-spoke alloy wheels, active steering, automatic doors, a sky lounge panoramic roof, rear side window and rear windscreen electric blinds, ventilated front and rear seats, a Bowers & Wilkins diamond surround sound system and lots more besides.

By adopting the electric route, owners do benefit from a number of financial benefits thanks to its zero carbon emissions. For example, road tax is free and the car is exempt from Congestion Charge fees. And for anyone lucky enough to secure this BMW as a business car, it has a very attractive Benefit in Kind tax savings rate of just two per cent.

On the downside, the Government recently announced that many of these incentives will be cut back from 2025.

And with rising electricity prices, charging from home rather at public forecourts will keep the day-to-day running costs down, especially if you can secure a deal with your supplier to boost the range when tariffs may be lower such as overnight.

The BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport sits in insurance group 50.

The BMW i7 is quite the all-round package for anyone in the market for a luxurious four-door saloon that is fully electrified and also fully loaded with the very latest technology.

It offers sublime comfort levels whilst still delivering on the performance front and is fairly competitively priced in its sector. However, once you start adding all the optional extras and packs to the mix, the costs do rise quite dramatically.

That said; anyone who can afford the i7 will hardly be deterred by the odd £20k or £30k in add-ons.