The 2022 BMW X7 is a large luxury SUV with three rows of seating and competes directly with rivals like the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Cadillac Escalade, and Land Rover Range Rover.
Offered with a choice of three powerful engines, including a pair of performance-tuned twin-turbo V8s, the X7 is one of the most opulent ways of transporting yourself and up to six additional passengers.
A second-row bench seat is standard but, for any X7 owners who plan on routinely putting people in the third row, a pair of optional captain’s chairs dramatically improves access to the rearmost seating.
For most SUV shoppers, the standard 335-horsepower turbocharged inline-6 delivers plenty of grunt — despite the fact the X7 weighs more than 5,300 pounds. Adding extra features like massage seats and the heavier V8 engines only nudges curb weight higher.
This substantial weight makes the X7 more of a sporty cruiser versus the more driver-centric models found in BMW’s lineup of cars and SUVs.
There are three primary trim levels, and each comes with its specific engine. Let’s look at the standard equipment and option packages that give the X7 private-jet-levels of luxury.
2022 BMW X7 xDrive40i (starting at $74,900)
Right from the start, you’ll notice the BMW X7 doesn’t come cheap. With a starting price hovering around $75,000 for the entry-level xDrive40i, the X7 costs tens of thousands more than slightly smaller three-row competitors like the Audi Q7.
On the other hand, the BMW is pretty much on par with rivals like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, except for the extremely quick and fully-loaded Alpina XB7. More on that model in a moment.
Considering this is BMW’s largest and top-of-the-line SUV, standard features are not in short supply. Standard comfort touches include a hands-free power liftgate, panoramic moonroof, quad-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated armrests, heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting, and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
When it comes to the powertrain, we’ve mentioned the base engine is a turbocharged inline-6 that sends 335-hp and 330 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels, courtesy of an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.
In EPA fuel economy testing, the X7 xDrive40i returns 19 mpg in city driving and 24 mpg on the highway. The X7 also comes standard with air suspension, a setup that’s definitely on the softer side of what shoppers expect from a BMW.
The X7 comes in 13 exterior color options. It gets nine different upgrades to genuine leather upholstery in a range of color patterns, six choices of piano black or wood trim, and eight types of alloy wheels ranging in size from 21 to 22 inches in diameter. In short, the X7 spoils an SUV buyer with choices.
Major option packages include the Luxury Seating Package, which upgrades the seating surfaces to leather and adds ventilation, massage function, and more adjustments to the front seats.
Those living in snowy climates might want to consider the Cold Weather package with heated second-row seats and 5-zone climate control.
The Premium package comes with popular add-ons like a head-up display and power soft-closing doors. Meanwhile, the Executive package includes everything that comes with the Premium package, then adds a bigger moonroof, heated and cooled cup holders, and dash controls crafted in glass.
The Driving Assistance Professional package and Parking Assistance package are inclined towards luxury SUV shoppers who want a safer — and easier to park — vehicle. Features included with these two suites of options include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, frontal-accident-evasion assist, surround-view camera, and automatic parking assist.
Speaking of safety, we nearly forgot to list the active safety features standard on the X7. These include automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, automatic high-beams, blind-spot monitoring, rearview camera, rain-sensing wipers, speed-limit recognition, and front and rear parking sensors, to name a few.
Finally, stand-alone options include second-row captain’s chairs, upgraded brakes, glass controls on the center console (including the gearshift), leather-covered dashboard, aluminum running boards, and trailer hitch.
An X7 buyer who pays the base price of $74,000 with zero down and financing for 60 months at a 3% interest rate would pay $1,285 each month. See the 2022 BMW X7 xDrive40i models for sale
2022 BMW X7 xDrive40i includes:
- Suspension – Every X7 comes standard with all-wheel drive and an air suspension.
- Safety features – The X7 comes with a long roster of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rain-sensing wipers.
- Infotainment – A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is paired with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen.
2022 BMW X7 M50i (starting at $99,800)
The primary upgrade when choosing the X7 M50i is the hardware in the engine bay. Rather than the base turbo 6-cylinder, the M50i is motivated by a twin-turbocharged V8 that sends 523-hp and 553 lb-ft of torque to the all-wheel-drive system via the same 8-speed automatic used in the xDrive40i.
BMW doesn’t stop at simply swapping one engine for another, however. Further upgrades include M Sport differential, brakes, exhaust, and steering wheel. Inside, the M50i comes standard with leather seating surfaces and an Alcantara headliner.
The features included in the Premium and Parking Assistance packages we discussed when detailing the xDrive40i apply here. By and large, additional option packages and single-item extras are nearly identical to the base X7 — though several cost less in the M50i since it’s already equipped with things like upgraded seats and a leather cabin. New for the 2022 model year, a Harman Kardon stereo upgrade can only be had in the M50i.
One interesting caveat is that the maximum towing capacity of each of the three X7 models maxes out at 7,500 lbs. Towing requires adding a trailer hitch, no matter which model you choose.
At $99,800 to start, a BMW X7 M50i buyer financing for 60 months at 3% interest with no money down will pay approximately $1,713 per month. See the 2022 BMW X7 M50i models for sale
2022 BMW X7 M50i includes:
- Added power – Twin-turbo V8 is standard, along with M Sport brakes and exhaust.
- More standard features – Soft-closing power doors, a head-up display, and a larger moonroof are included.
- Premium seating – The M50i comes with real leather seating, a suede headliner, and more power-adjustment settings for the front seats.
2022 BMW Alpina XB7 (starting at $141,300)
From its lofty perch at the top of the X7 range, the Alpina XB7 is nearly double the price of the standard X7. Once again, power is one of the key components of making the sizable jump up to the XB7’s $141,300 price.
The same twin-turbo V8 found in the M50i is used here in the XB7. This time, total output is cranked up to a staggering 612 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. This is enough to propel the XB7 from zero to 60 mph in only 4.0 seconds and onward to a top speed of 180 mph.
Given this degree of performance, it’s no wonder the XB7 gets its own Alpina-tuned transmission, sport suspension, differential, and exhaust system.
When it comes to standard features, take pretty much every option and option package mentioned in the lower two X7 trims and pour them into the Alpina XB7. This really is about as close as an SUV can get towards feeling like a Gulfstream jet, just minus the wings and altitude.
Options include an Alpina-only rear entertainment system, second-row captain’s chairs, larger moonroof, 5-zone climate control, and 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo system.
With its starting price of $141,300 an Alpina XB7 with no down payment, plus financing for 60 months at 3% interest, ends up costing $2,426 monthly. See the 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 models for sale
2022 BMW Alpina XB7 includes:
- Tuned twin-turbo V8 – The twin-turbo V8 found in the M50i makes more than 600 hp in the Alpina X.
- Fully loaded – Nearly every option and option package found in the xDrive40i and M50i are included as standard.
- Entertainment system – The Alpina XB7 is the only trim offered with a rear-seat entertainment system with dual screens mounted onto the back of the front seats.
KBB recently released a review and road test we thought might help you make the right choice.
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