The next BMW i7 has already been unveiled for the 2027 model year, wearing the latest haute couture from Neue Klasse, which makes this an opportune time to examine the outgoing 2026 i7. Is it worth waiting for the upcoming rendition, or is the original still one of the finest luxury sedans on the market?
You can say what you will about the 2026’s oversized grills, but they’re an assertive statement and successfully capture attention – both positive and negative – wherever it’s parked. Suitable adjectives are aplenty, but BMW has remedied them for 2027 with a tighter, more tailored front end. In our eyes, the new shape looks better. Though we think the rear end never needed any changing, as it currently gives off retro Toyota Century vibes. Take our advice and pair a bold colour from the BMW Individual Manufaktur palette, such as our test vehicle’s Brass Metallic ($5,000). If you’re already going to stand out, might as well do it in style.
If you can stand how the current i7 looks, then you’re in for a treat. Since the first model year in 2023, the i7 hasn’t gone through any metaphorical changes and has essentially been carried over since. That means the same dazzling interior equipped with automatic doors, bass-shaking seats, and a theatre screen, enough to make both the Porsche Taycan and Lucid Air feel stark and empty inside.
Checking the right options helps, notably the Rear Entertainment Package ($7,500) and Executive Lounge Package ($2,800), which transform the rear cabin into a VIP movie theatre on wheels. Ever watch Top Gun with your back being heated and massaged? The 31.3-inch cinema-style display sits on a track below the fixed glass roof and blocks the view of the front cabin, offering high-end taxi-levels of privacy, not to mention the electronically operated side and rear sunshades, which cocoon you even further. Using the car’s own 5G internet, we were able to stream Netflix and YouTube and take advantage of the 4D audio experience, which adds bass-shaking to the seats for heightened immersion.
The screen can be controlled via touch input or through the 5.5-inch fixed touchscreens on the door panels, which streamline the control system. They also govern every function from the seating position and massage to the brightness of the reading lights. It doesn’t come across as gimmicky, though we found it more cumbersome than real switches and buttons. However, it should bode well and keep the i7 floating into the next few years of upcoming tech.
The theatre option comes with its own drawbacks. It blocks a quarter of the fixed glass roof, reducing the amount of light in the rear cabin. It also prevents the driver from seeing through their rear windscreen, but the digital mirror remedies that issue. However, because of its considerable size, the screen cannot be lowered if the front seats are set too far back, which is always the case in my default seating position. Anyone six feet or taller will need to angle their seatback forward to an upright position to give the screen room to move. If not possible, then it’s more of a stationary car experience.
The BMW i7 is one of the few luxury sedans that reward being in both the driver’s seat and the rear passenger seat. Agile for its size with direct steering, excellent road control, and tremendous power, the i7 is genuinely a joy to drive on both twisty roads and steady highways. Though the i7 is offered in a sport-focused M70 trim, it’s the xDrive60 model that you want for its blend of speed and waftability. It utilizes a 101.7 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric motors, generating 536 hp and 549 lb-ft. All-wheel drive is standard, and 0-100 km/h is reached in a brisk 4.7 seconds. Range anxiety is off the menu, as our early spring drive yielded an impressive 440 km on a single charge.
The i7 is swift but slick off the line, and there’s even a Boost paddle shifter on the left side of the steering wheel, should you ever have something to prove. But the real achievement is the ride quality. This is what separates the i7 from the Lucid Air and Genesis G90. The i7 floats with fluffy cloud-like dexterity, tiptoeing around bumps and potholes, and neutralizing both small and large suspension movements. Thick cabin insulation isolates you further within the mechanical bubble and amplifies the clarity and crisp tones of the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system ($5,900).
The only sound reason we can think of for holding off on the 2027 i7 is if you can’t stand how it looks. But once you fall into the sumptuous couch-like seats and envelop yourself in the privacy of the rear cabin cocoon, then you just might discover the fact that you don’t care about what your car looks like, but rather how it makes you feel. And once depreciation rears its head and kicks in, this i7 with its technological showcase, will be an absolute steal.
Specifications:
Model: 2026 BMW i7 xDrive60
Paint Type: Brass Metallic
Base Price: $153,900
Price as Tested: $204,250
Wheelbase(mm): 3,215
Length/Width/Height (mm): 5,391 / 1,950 / 1,544
Curb weight (kg): 2,684
Powertrain: 101.7 kWh lithium-ion battery, front and rear electric motors
Horsepower: 536 hp
Torque: 549 lb-ft
Transmission: Single-speed transmission
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, AWD
Claimed Range: 512 km
Observed Range: 440 km
Tires: Pirelli P Zero; 255/40R21 front; 285/35R21 rear
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