BMW i7 2026 review | A supremely comfortable electric saloon
BMW i7 cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Extremely comfortable
One of the most hi-tech cars you can buy
Cheaper to run than petrol or diesel alternatives
Cons
Styling won't be to all tastes
Expensive to buy
A Porsche Taycan is more fun to drive
The CarGurus verdict
The BMW i7 is a truly brilliant luxury car, whether you compare it with petrol-powered alternatives or its closest electric rivals. For interior finish, technical prowess and occupant comfort, we rate it more highly than the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which is itself quite extraordinary on these factors. Sure, the (used-only) Tesla Model S is usefully cheaper and more efficient, but if you want a limo that’ll make a statement, it’s the Mercedes or BMW that you need to be looking at, and the BMW pips the Mercedes for wow-factor – if only just.
However, the BMW is not as efficient as you might hope, and it’s not as practical as these alternatives. If it had a frunk for the cables, and better efficiency to match its key rival from Mercedes, we’d have given it the full five stars. As it is, it’ll have to live with four stars. Yet by any standard, the BMW i7 has stepped up the luxury vehicle game.
What is the BMW i7?
The BMW i7 is the pure electric version of the BMW 7 Series, which is the German marque’s flagship luxury saloon. At launch, it was offered only as the long-wheelbase and four-wheel-drive i7 xDrive60, but the range has since expanded. Buyers can now choose between the rear-driven i7 eDrive50, the dual-motor i7 xDrive60 and the range-topping i7 M70 xDrive.
All versions of the i7 use a huge 101.7kWh battery, with official WLTP-tested range figures of up to 387 miles (depending on specification, wheel size and equipment). That puts it slightly behind key electric rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS, while cars like the Tesla Model S offer stronger performance for similar money.
Other electric four-door saloons, including the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT, also sit in the same space, but they’re more driver-focused than the i7. In character, the i7 is closer to luxury-led alternatives like the EQS, or even high-end SUVs such as the Range Rover and BMW iX. It prioritises rear-seat opulence over driver appeal.
How practical is it?
The BMW i7 is only available as a long-wheelbase model in the UK, which means we’re talking about a saloon measuring nearly 5.4 metres in length. As such, it’s no surprise that you could probably host a live performance of Riverdance in the back seats – although you’re more likely to want to sit back in the reclining, massaging executive chairs and watch something on the 31.3-inch Theatre Screen. It’s certainly comfortable even without optional extras, and rear legroom is at least as generous as you’ll find in the Mercedes-Benz EQS.
Space up front is also extremely good, with the standard electric seats offering a wide range of adjustment to cater for just about every size and shape. There are also a good number of storage cubbies and a dedicated wireless charging slot for your phone, so it’s easy to keep your belongings secure and out of the way.
However, the BMW i7 is a traditional saloon, and that means that you have a more limited boot opening than the large hatchback-style boots the EQS, Tesla Model S or a luxury SUV. Having said that, the i7 still offers a 500-litre boot that is deep enough to swallow a couple of full-size suitcases, so outright capacity isn’t a problem even if others offer more convenient access. There’s no ‘frunk’ or front boot in the BMW i7, either.
What's it like to drive?
The BMW i7 is one of the quietest and most comfortable cars money can buy. Mind you, it should be when you consider its remit is to transport passengers in such lavish, isolated peace that travel time becomes restful or productive, rather than generally time-consuming and annoying. As a chauffeur car it’s wonderful, with barely any whine from the electric motors and just a very subtle, background hum of wind and tyre noise as speed builds.
The steering is light enough to make this an easy car to manoeuvre around posh hotel entrances or awkward car parks, yet there’s also plenty of confidence and control in faster direction changes. For all that, the i7 isn’t a car that you ever feel particularly inclined to drive in a spirited manner, despite it being able to surge up the road from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds in eDrive50 guise, 4.7 seconds in xDrive60 form, or a faintly ridiculous 3.7 seconds in the flagship M70 xDrive.
The standard adaptive air suspension delivers tidy body control and there’s plenty of grip and response to enjoy on a decent road. If you really want an i7 that’s also a performance car you’d be well advised to choose the i7 M70 xDrive. In more moderate xDrive60 guise, the i7 is a big car that feels far more focused on comfort.
Driving an i7 smoothly is easily done, because the brake pedal feel is easy to judge and even the regenerative braking is predictable and easy to modulate. You can toggle between a few levels of recuperative braking in the i7, but you have to do it via the infotainment screen, which is a faff. The adaptive setting is great, though; predictable, easy to modulate and not too intrusive. It even identifies downhill sections and responds to traffic lights.
Ride comfort is fantastic. Even significant imperfections in the road barely trouble you in the i7’s luxurious cabin. You will have to look to the true prestige brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley to find a quieter and more comfortable car than this.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
The BMW i7 is offered in two main trims (Excellence and M Sport) with M Sport Pro adding extra kit; the M70 xDrive sits as the performance flagship. Excellence is the most affordable option, but is still fully specced with 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, an automatic tailgate, a panoramic glass sunroof, soft-close doors, four-zone climate control, a Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system, front and rear heated seats, adaptive two-axle air suspension, cruise control, driving assistant and parking assist.
M Sport mostly adds style extras such as 20-inch alloy wheels, an M Sport leather steering wheel and darker ‘Shadowline’ chrome trim. The M Sport Pro upgrade adds even more Shadowline trim, plus black M brakes, 21-inch alloy wheels and rear spoiler.
Infotainment consists of a 14.9-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, which are both set into the single, elegant ‘BMW Curved Display’ that perches atop the dashboard. The BMW i7 gets the latest Operating System 8.5 (an update to OS 8), which comes with a rotary controller and shortcut buttons in the style of BMW’s familiar iDrive system. Alternatively, there’s the touchscreen or voice control. We found the rotary controller best for controlling most features on the system, but the combination of the touchscreen and impressively accurate voice control is also great.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are joined by an ‘augmented reality’ built-in satnav system that shows you a video feed of the road with live arrows overlaid to show where to go at an upcoming junction. A head-up display is standard, too.
That’s not where the technology ends, though. We’ve already mentioned the cinema-style screen in the back, but there’s also the Sky Lounge Panoramic Glass Sunroof. This optional upgrade brings ambient lighting that’s inlaid into the glass roof in an intricate pattern, which you can then light up in any colour or pulsing light pattern of your choice. You thought the Rolls-Royce starlight roof was impressive? Well, expect this incredible light display to wow you even more.
Other posh options include bigger wheels, and electrically reclining and massaging rear seats with retractable blinds for the windows. You can even have cashmere trimmed seats if you want.
The BMW i7 features advanced driver-assistance systems capable of Level 2 semi-automated driving, combining adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and a suite of sensors to help reduce driver workload on longer journeys. As with all current systems, the driver is still responsible for monitoring the road and staying alert.
Go for the optional Parking Assistant Pro and the i7 can park itself and even learn how you like to park in those spots you use often. It’ll tell you if there’s traffic coming when you reverse out of a space, or if there’s a cyclist or car coming when you open the door.
Basically, if BMW has the tech to hand, it features on the i7. And BMW has a lot of tech to hand…
BMW i7 running costs
The BMW i7 costs a similar amount to its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz EQS, and while nobody would call a six-figure starting price cheap, it is competitive given the equipment on board.
Where the BMW does look a little lacking next to the EQS is when it comes to efficiency. For electric cars, this is measured in miles per kWh (m/kWh), so the more miles you get to each kilowatt hour of battery capacity, the better your range and efficiency. The BMW i7 xDrive60 manages up to 387 miles from a 101.7kWh battery, while the Mercedes EQS 450+ ekes out up to 487 miles under the same WLTP government-regulated test regimes. That works out at some 4.5m/kWh for the Mercedes, but only 3.8m/kWh for the BMW. It’s the EV equivalent of finding out that the BMW does 30mpg while the Mercedes does 45mpg, so ultimately the BMW will cost more to run per mile than the very aerodynamic and efficient Mercedes. The Tesla Model S will also be more efficient, thanks to its slippery shape.
When it comes to real-world range, we’d estimate that the BMW will manage between 260 and 360 miles to a single charge depending on the outside temperature. Colder weather will always cause an electric car’s range to drop, even those (including the i7) that have an advanced thermal management system (including a heat pump).
The i7 will be cheaper than most petrol or diesel alternatives, though, especially if you charge at home. Assuming typical domestic electricity rates, the i7 will work out at between 10p and 16p per mile, depending on the efficiency you’re seeing. Routinely using cheaper off-peak tariffs at home will save you more than half on those costs, but public charging will push electricity costs up very noticeably. It still promises to be cheaper than your average petrol car doing 40mpg, though, never mind an equivalent high-powered combustion car.
BMW i7 reliability
The i7’s three-year, unlimited mileage warranty is no better than that offered by most rivals, while the eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty that applies to its lithium-ion drive battery is also matched by most others. As a brand, BMW placed sixth out of 30 car manufacturers included in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, which rates cars up to five years old. That bodes well for the dependability of the i7, as does BMW’s relatively long history with mainstream electric cars, thanks to its excellent i3 EV. It means that BMW does have the heritage and the experience to suggest its electric cars will be well-built and durable.
Need further evidence? The BMW i3 and i4 finished first and second respectively in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey of electric cars.
As for battery longevity, modern lithium-ion batteries have proven to be longer lasting than most predicted. Even so, they do lose performance over the years and miles, and many studies suggest degradation of around 10-20 percent over long-term ownership. Those cars that are rapid-charged regularly will typically lose battery life faster, so try to use slower AC charging where possible, and only charge the battery to 80 percent capacity in routine use (when you don’t need the full potential range) to maintain the best possible battery life.
- The BMW i7 xDrive60 has a CCS rapid charging, and Type 2 slow charging port located in the rear wing of the car, where you might expect a normal fuel filler to be. These are the European standard socket types, and are compatible with the vast majority of public charging stations and all home car chargers.
- The i7 will rapid charge at up to 195kW. This means that, with a powerful enough charger, you can get a 100 mile top-up in under 10 minutes, or a 10-80% top-up in around 30 minutes. That’s not quite as quick a charge as you’ll get in the Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model S, while the Mercedes EQS manages a peak charging rate of 207kW – close enough as to be negligible compared to the BMW i7, in practice. The i7 will also automatically warm its battery (a modern lithium-ion battery such as the i7’s typically charges fastest and delivers the best possible range when it’s functioning at around 25 degrees) if you put a charger in as your destination on the nav. Annoyingly, this doesn’t work if you’re using a maps app on your phone, so the fact that you can simply tell the i7 to warm its battery a few minutes before you arrive at a charging destination is also a neat trick that not many other electric vehicles offer.
- Plug into your 7kW home wallbox and the BMW i7’s huge battery will charge from empty to full in under 15 hours. It will charge at up to 11kW from a powerful enough AC charge point, but bear in mind that very few domestic properties in the UK can support an 11kW charger, which is why it’s routine for home chargers in the UK to charge at a maximum charging rate of 7.4kW.
- If you want the most luxurious: We’d stick with the slightly cheaper BMW i7 xDrive60 Excellence, but go for all the options including the Executive Pack, which adds the reclining, heated and cooled massage seats in the back, plus the Theatre Screen, sunblinds and more, albeit for a hefty five-figure price. Don’t forget the front massage seats, the upgraded Bowers & Wilkins Diamond audio system, and the incredible Sky Lounge glass roof. The Merino leather/wool-cashmere seats are seriously lovely as well, so why not add them if you’re going all-out and are brave enough to contemplate cleaning them. It’s worth noting that some options are available only as part of a pack.
- If you want the best chauffeur car: As above, although perhaps skip the cashmere seats.
- If you want the longest range: Stick with Excellence trim, again, and make sure that you go with 19-inch alloy wheels as it’s the larger wheels that really eat into the i7’s potential maximum range of 387 miles.
- If you want the sportiest: Go for the BMW i7 M70 xDrive. Although the electric range drops to an official 342 miles, the near-2.8-tonne saloon can hit 62mph in just 3.7 seconds, before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.
- If you want the best business express: Again, go for Excellence trim, but be a bit more restrained with the options. In fact, you don’t need to add anything, but the Technology Plus Pack will be popular for the upgraded sound system and semi-autonomous driver aids, while the Front Comfort Pack for heated and ventilated massage seats is worthwhile if you really want the ultimate luxury executive transport.
