With BMW’s long history of having a large, flagship sedan in the form of the 7 Series, a full-size flagship SUV made sense as SUVs became increasingly popular. The BMW X7 now gives buyers another three-row option (in addition to the X5 SUV) with lots of luxurious features.
Production began in 2019, and the X7 went up against fellow seven-seat luxury SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS. It’s a pricier alternative, but some would argue it has a plusher interior and more tech, so could be considered on par with SUVs from Bentley or Land Rover.
The BMW X7 is built in South Carolina, where the brand also builds the X3, the X4, the X5, the X6 and the XM SUVs. As you’d expect from a flagship, the X7 has more space, more amenities, and more tech than its smaller siblings.
BMW 7 Series Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- BMW X7 Pros and Cons
- BMW X7 Generations
- BMW X7 First Generation (2019 – Present)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which BMW X7 years are the best?
Consumer Reports gave the 2025 BMW X7 a better-than-average predictive reliability score, even though it hadn’t rated previous model years, and we didn’t see a single complaint on CarComplaints.com for 2021 to 2023 models. The NHTSA said the 2022 model year had the fewest recalls (two) and the fewest complaints (11) overall, so we make that the best year to buy used.
What are the worst BMW X7 years?
We generally recommend avoiding the first model year of any new vehicle, and that certainly applies to the X7, because the 2019 model had 10 recalls. CarComplaints.com said 2019 was the model year with the most consumer complaints but did not recommend the 2024 model year, because of higher costs. The 2023 model had low owner satisfaction ratings from Consumer Reports.
Is a used BMW X7 a good deal?
The BMW X7 is a pricey new vehicle. Considering that you can get a one- or two-year-old vehicle with $10,000 to $20,000 knocked off the bottom line, we think that’s a pretty good deal for a luxury SUV. Plus, if you look at the 2022 model year—which gets our vote for the best year to buy—the average transaction price is about $59,000, and the original MSRP was $74,900 to $141,300. While we wouldn’t call it a steal, we think that’s a pretty good deal, considering what it is.
BMW X7 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Powerful engine
- Very comfortable
- Quiet cabin
Cons:
- Relatively small third row
- Unintuitive technology
- Polarizing design
BMW X7 Generations
BMW X7 First Generation (2019 – Present)
The first-generation BMW X7 is built on the same Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform as the X5, but it’s only available with the all-wheel drive (xDrive) drivetrain, whereas the X5 is also available with rear-wheel drive. The X7 is also nearly a foot longer than the X5, which makes the rear seats more usable and adds more cargo space. It comes with a standard bench seat in the second row but can be ordered with captain’s chairs.
Specs for the entry-level xDrive40i version include self-leveling air suspension, four-zone climate control, Sensafin synthetic leather upholstery, adaptive LED headlights, and BMW’s iDrive infotainment and connectivity system, and its active kidney grille (the slats of which open and close to help aerodynamics and cooling) as standard. There are plenty of safety features, too, including blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, front and rear collision warning, wireless charging, a heated third-row seat, and adaptive cruise control with a hands-free option.
If you want to get bougie, look for upgrades such as heated-and-cooled cup holders, gesture control for the infotainment system, massaging seats, panoramic sunroof, LED light patterns, and laser headlights. The upscale xDrive50i included standard features such as a 360-degree surround-view camera, a head-up display, and the Driving Assistance Professional system with lane keep assist and traffic-jam assist.
The BMW X7 launched with Apple CarPlay, but Android Auto wasn’t available until 2021. The original premium sound system was a 1500-watt , 20-speaker system from Harman Kardon but, in 2021, BMW swapped to a 464-watt Harman Kardon 16-speaker surround system as one premium option and a 1500-watt Bowers & Wilkins, 20-speaker system as another.
The X7 launched in the U.S. with two gasoline powertrains: a 335-horsepower 3.0-liter inline-six with the X7 xDrive40i and a 456-hp, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 with xDrive50i. Both were equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A high-performance X7 M50i joined the lineup for 2020, wearing BMW’s trademark M Sport styling and equipped with a 523-hp 4.4-liter V8 engine. The X7 XDrive50i was dropped for 2021, and BMW added the top-tier X7 Alpina XB7, with a 613-hp, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. At the time of writing, every version of the X7 was fitted with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.
The X7 was facelifted for the 2023 model year, which brought two big changes: a heavily revised front end with horizontally split headlights and a new instrument cluster and infotainment screen, encompassed under a single piece of glass that swept the length of the dash. Powertrains and trim levels also got a shake up. While the xDrive40i carried on, it got an additional 40 horsepower, while the xDrive50i was replaced with the X7 M60i, itself equipped with a 523-hp, 4.4-liter, twinpower-turbo V8.
Prices for used X7s can vary wildly. We saw some high-mileage 2019 and 2020 models for less than $30,000, but we also some low-mileage 2024 models for more than $120,000. Values for the recommended 2022 model year range from $37,000 to $78,000, and we saw a lot of good listings for this year in the $40,000 to $50,000 bracket.
