Thinking of buying a used BMW 7 Series?
The style of the car
The 7 Series is a large executive four-door saloon with a luxury interior and lots of interior space. Long and wide, it’s an imposing car that looks like an upmarket limousine. All versions get alloy wheels and chrome trim, with models from 2019 onwards fitted with a large front grille. M Sport models add larger wheels and a subtle bodykit.
How it drives
The 7 Series is supremely comfortable and quiet on the move, but it’s also relatively fun to drive thanks to its powerful engines and entertaining rear-wheel drive handling. There’s a four-wheel drive xDrive option for all-weather stability, and a plug-in hybrid version that offers up to 36 miles of silent, zero-emission electric driving. Light steering, good visibility and standard parking sensors make the BMW easy to park for such a big car.
The interior
The 7 Series has a very spacious interior with hugely comfortable seats. Passengers in the back get vast amounts of head and legroom plus access to their own air con controls. The boot is as large as rivals and has no trouble swallowing three or four medium sized suitcases. The brilliantly designed dashboard is easy to use and features a huge infotainment screen accessed by BMW’s excellent iDrive rotary controller. Standard equipment is extensive, with heated leather seats and sat nav on all 7 Series cars. Passengers in the rear even get the option of their own infotainment tablet to listen to music and control the heating.
Running costs and reliability
The 7 Series costs a little less to buy than equally well-equipped and premium rivals. And despite its size and performance the BMW is actually remarkably fuel efficient, particularly the diesel and hybrid models. Like its rivals, the 7 Series’ high price when new means it attracts slightly larger tax bills, but BMW’s prepaid service plans mean you’ll pay less for maintenance. Reliability is a traditional BMW strength and the 7 Series is packed with the brand’s most hi-tech driver aids including a head-up display and an infotainment system that can read your hand gestures. The 7 Series hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP but most BMWs get the full five-stars.
How it compares with similar cars
The 7 Series is the luxury flagship saloon of the BMW line-up. It’s bigger than the BMW 5 Series saloon but lower to the ground than the X7 SUV. There’s little to separate the 7 Series from Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8 in terms of quality and technology, but the BMW is more fun to drive. The 7 Series’ status as a great limousine was confirmed by Professional Driver magazine naming it ‘Executive Car of the Year’.
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