2022 BMW 7 Series

Since the 2022 BMW 7 Series will be a carryover model, all the trim levels will also be retained but the prices are expected to be slightly higher than before. The sedan is offered in a total of 5 trim levels which are:- 740i, 745e xDrive, 750i xDrive, Alpina B7, and M760i xDrive. The reviews of the 745e xDrive hybrid, Alpina B7, and the M760i xDrive are covered separately. 

The base 740i is the only model in the entire trim lineup to offer an RWD layout as standard. The base motor is a turbocharged I-6 motor that powers both the base 740i trim and the 754e hybrid model as well. The 750i comes with a bigger and more powerful 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 motor. The sedan comes packed with features right from the base trim and some of it includes voice and gesture recognition inputs, wireless device charging function, key-less entry with proximity sensor, 4-zone automatic climate control, rear sunshade, adaptive air suspension, and a heated steering wheel among other features. The more powerful 750i only gets the V8 as a significant upgrade along with few interior changes such as the Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package.

Which trim should you buy?

The base trim is more than adequately equipped and covers almost everything you can possibly think about. We would recommend the xDrive trim since it offers more practicality. You can go with the 750i trim if you prefer to drive the sedan and desire more performance.

Previously, full-size luxury sedans were straightforward gas-guzzlers with their big powertrains and power figures. The scenarios haven’t changed significantly though but the modern luxury sedans do offer some generous EPA ratings, making them usable as a daily driver too.

The 740i returns a city mileage of 20mpg, a highway mileage of 28mpg, and combined mileage of 23mpg. It has a sizable 20.6 gallons gas tank and offers a decent overall driving range.

Coming to the competitors, the Genesis G90 is the least fuel-efficient sedan here while the Beemer takes the top spot in this regard. The Porsche Panamera’s combined mileage rating says its city and highway mileage figures are similar to that of the 740i’s, if not better. The Lexus LS 500 impresses here and is as fuel-efficient as the 740i despite packing in more oomph than the latter.

The 2022 BMW 7 Series interior is the place where the brand has focused the most. The cabin is spacious with an abundance of premium materials and almost every exposed surface is covered in soft-touch materials, premium metal trim, or leather. The dashboard design is nothing extraordinary for the segment and looks busy with a slew of buttons around the infotainment display and on the center console.

The front seats offer supreme comfort levels but the rear seats offer more. Some of the standard features include power-operated soft closing doors, heated steering wheel, heated front arm-rests, 20-way power-adjustable front seats, and a rear sunshade among other features. The 750i comes with Rear Executive Lounge Seating package as standard which essentially swaps out the middle seat at the rear and puts in a 7-inch tablet. The trunk space is also generous at 18.2 cu-ft but we think it should’ve been better.

The Genesis G90 is the most spacious one here and offers almost all the luxuries of the 7 Series but at a much lower price. We are yet to witness the 2022 G90, which we expect to be even better than the outgoing model. The Lexus LS 500 lacks in the overall interior space and the quality of the materials struggle to hold up against the 7 Series’s and the G90’s. The Porsche Panamera’s cabin carries the best design and offers a plush experience. Disappointingly though, the G90 has the smallest trunk here.

Some interior features are:

• Proximity keyless entry
• 20-way power-adjustable front seats
• Heated front armrests
• Panoramic moonroof
• Power soft-closing doors
• Rear sunshade

What’s there to keep you entertained?

BMW offers one of the best infotainment systems on the market in the form of “iDrive” and its implementation is the best in high-end cars from the brand. The 2022 7 Series will come with the same 10.2-inch touchscreen display controlled by the iDrive user interface. The system is super-smooth and intuitive to use with crisp images. The system can also be operated via the touchpad and the knob placed on the center stack. The hand gesture control and the voice recognition using “Hey BMW” are still in a nascent stage and cannot be relied on completely.

Some of the available infotainment features include a 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system and a rear-seat entertainment system with a couple of 10-inch displays with touch input.

Some standout features include:

• Satellite radio
• HD Radio
• 10.2-inch infotainment display
• 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
• Bluetooth
• Wireless device charging

The exterior design of the 2022 BMW 7 Series looks elegant from the sides quite stylish from the rear with immaculate design aesthetics. There are some neatly sculpted lines running along with the side profile of the sedan and the windows get tasteful chrome treatment.

The rear looks spectacular with all-LED lighting and an LED-strip-like design that connects both the left and right tail lights together. The chrome exhaust tips give that additional premium touch as well. The front design of the sedan is where BMW messed up, big-time. The huge kidney grilles look awkward and even the sleek yet stylish headlamp units cannot lift up the overall appeal.

The Porsche Panamera has the most compact dimensions but is the widest among the rivals here. The Lexus LS 500 sports the brand’s signature spindle grille and looks the most aggressive one here. The G90 sedan has a radical design and its front end looks like nothing else in the segment right now. 

Some exterior features include:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlamps with optional Laser headlamps
• Kidney grille with active shutter technology
• Hands-free power-operated trunk lid
• Heated and power-folding ORVMs

The 2022 BMW 7 Series will be a carry-over model hence it will come with all the safety techs of the previous model year’s vehicle. The sedan has not been crash-tested by both the NHTSA and the IIHS. But with a plethora of safety techs onboard and strong build quality, the sedan offers top-notch safety. 

Some of the safety features include:

• A surround-view parking camera system
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Forward collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane departure warning
• Adaptive LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam headlights

BMW 7 Series vs Lexus LS 500

The Lexus LS 500 offers a solid package of performance and luxury at a much lower price than the 7 Series. Moreover, the sedan doesn’t compromise on any major aspect such as safety or features.

However, it does lack some high-tech features such as power-closing doors which can only be found on the Beemer. Also, the infotainment experience is nowhere near to what the iDrive onboard the 7 Series offers.

BMW 7 Series vs Genesis G90

The G90 was designed to stand out in the crowd and give costlier German sedans a run for their money both in terms of design and luxuries.

The G90 is also cheaper than the 7 Series and its interior design looks better than the latter in many aspects. The overall build quality and the quality of materials are also at par with the German sedan, making it a worthy rival.

BMW 7 Series vs Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera is one of the few rivals that match with the 7 Series in terms of pricing and that “German” feeling.

The Panamera is also as plush and luxurious as the 7 Series but lacks some of the creature-comfort features and the superior ride quality offered by the 7 Series.

If that huge and ugly kidney grille of the new 7 Series sedan doesn’t intimidate or irritate you, yes you can put this car on your list. The sedan has a lot of things going for it such as the strong performance, a hi-tech cabin, superior ride comfort, and a commendable fuel economy. It sure lacks in some areas such as the overall interior design and a steep base price.