In recent years, the BMW 7-series has evolved from sports sedan to plush luxobarge, and the 2021 model follows suit. Its soft suspension, quiet cabin, and pampering luxury features make it an appealing limo for affluent buyers, most of whom won't mind if their chauffer isn't particularly entertained by the car's almost lifeless helm. A host of powertrain options is offered, ranging from the 320-hp inline-six to a fire-breathing twin-turbo V-12.
The lead-footed among us may disagree, but the base powertrain—a turbocharged inline-six—in the 740i is perfectly suitable for this car's relaxed nature. It still provides plenty of gumption when you need it, but otherwise it's quiet and smooth, so it's the one we'd recommend. Plus, its lower starting price frees up your money to go toward some luxury interior features.
We'd splurge on the Driving Assistance Professional package—a semi-autonomous driving mode that is particularly useful in traffic jams—so we can relax and let the car do some of the work. The price of the 2021 BMW 7-series starts at $87,795 and goes up to $158,795 depending on the trim and options.
Every 7-series shares some variation of the same slick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive (xDrive in BMW marketing speak) is optional on the 740i and standard on the rest of the lineup. No matter which of the car's drive modes you select, the suspension is pillowy soft and body control is in short supply. The 7-series has adequate cornering grip, but the suspension's moves in general—and the numb, light steering in particular—discourage their exploration.
If not for the thirsty 12-cylinder M760i, the 7-series lineup overall would have an impressive set of EPA fuel-economy ratings. The six-cylinder 740i and 750i both returned better-than-average fuel economy on our 200-mile real-world highway fuel-economy test route at 30 and 29 mpg, respectively. The 745e plug-in hybrid model uses a 12.0-kWh battery pack located in the trunk and is said to provide up to 16 miles of electric-only driving. The pack can be recharged using 110-volt, 220-volt, or DC fast-charging systems, the latter two of which are the recommended ways to add juice quickly.
That was acceptable when its cars were more about the serious business of driving. Lacking that ethos, the latest 7-series affords occupants the bandwidth to notice build quality, materials, and design that are merely average for this rich class. Sure, it's spacious, but so is every limousine in this class. Sure, it's luxurious, but one turn in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or even the Genesis G90, and you'll be left wanting more from a car that starts well north of $80,000. Volumetrically speaking, the BMW's trunk has competitors such as the Cadillac CT6 and the G90 licked.
Total MSRP
$87,795
Drive Type
All wheel drive
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Fuel type
Premium unleaded
Engine
4.4L, 32 valve V8
Engine Type
Twin turbocharged
Torque
553 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm
Horsepower
523 hp @ 6,000 rpm
BMW's iDrive infotainment system has long since moved beyond its early teething problems to become a straightforward, attractive interface. The latest version, dubbed iDrive 7.0, can be manipulated via touchscreen or a quick and intuitive control on the center console. Every 7-series offers two USB ports for front-seat passengers and four 12-volt plugs scattered throughout. Bluetooth is standard, and a Samsung tablet with a dock between the rear seats is optional, giving passengers remote access to some infotainment features.
While it's not as much fun to drive as we expect a BMW to be, the 7-series has the comfort part of the luxury car equation down pat.
Fussy infotainment gesture controls, lacks the athleticism of past 7-series models, entry-level trim doesn't impress.
LuxxCar Expert
