2020 BMW 7 Series

The 2020 BMW 7-Series comes in two fundamental trims which are named 740i and 750i. The 740i is also available as the 740i xDrive where a standard AWD drivetrain is given. There is also an M760i trim which is more performance-oriented and a 745e plug-in hybrid variant but they will be covered in different articles, so do check them out. That said, the base trim 740i starts at $86,450 while the 750i xDrive will cost you over $100 grand. 

The standard features which 740i brings are 18-inch wheels, Dakota Leather upholstery, 14-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, power-closing doors, power trunk, 12.3- inch dynamic digital gauge cluster, forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, and more. Select the 750i xDrive and you will get upgraded upholstery, bigger wheels, a head-up display, and importantly a more potent power plant. 

The Luxury Rear Seating Package will provide you rear-seat entertainment system, rear ventilated seats, rear massaging seats, heated steering wheel with front & rear heated seats and armrests, and rear comfort seats. The Executive Package($2,500) on the base trim offers front ventilated seats, panoramic sky lounge LED roof, Nappa leather trim on the instrument panel but the same package on the 750i xDrive offers front massaging seats, power rear sunshade & rear side window shades, in addition for extra $1,400.

Which Trim should you buy?

We’d settle for the base 740i trim, it comes with a 3.0L Turbo inline-six which gives enough power. You can add the xDrive system if you need an AWD for an additional $3000.The trim comes at a lower starting price and you can add on various packages such as the Cold weather and a driver Assistance Professional Package for an increased level of safety and comfort.

The 2020 BMW 7 Series returns the best in class fuel economy. It provides 29 MPG on the highways, 22 MPG in the city, and 24 MPG combined. Although it suffers due to the smaller fuel tank, the combined ranges still extend almost up to 494 miles. If you opt for the 740i xDrive, the number will go down by 2,1,1 MPG in the city/highway/combined respectively. Go with the 750i xDrive and fuel efficiency will again take a hit and compared to the base trim, you will get 5,4, and 4 mpg less in the city, on the highway, and combined respectively. 

The BMW 7 Series is the most efficient sedan but when it comes to the driving range, the Porsche Panamera takes the crown despite being a fuel chugger. Panamera has an exceptionally large fuel tank at 23.7 gallons which put its driving range well over 600 miles on the highway. Meanwhile, the Audi A8 has the thirstiest engine whereas the Mercedes Benz S-Class consumes less fuel on the highway compared to the rivals from Porsche and Audi. 

The interior of the 2020 BMW 7-Series is designed to make you feel like a king ruling over the course the car takes. The layout on the inside is the same as the outgoing model with a three-layer dashboard. The dashboard comes equipped with a 10.25-inch inch infotainment screen and a 12.3-inch inch digital gauge cluster. There’re the conventional trapezoidal AC vents in the center and down the line is a control panel which is mirrored accordingly. Dakota Leather now comes as the standard upholstery while Nappa Leather is standard on the 750i trim. There’s some change in materials throughout the cabin with the steering wheel having some chrome inserts added freshly. Also, for 2020, different trims have been given in the cabin to upscale it and the insulation is better than before. 

Some optional features include acoustic side glass to prevent outside noise, ceramic controls, a built-in fragrance system, an anthracite Alcantara headliner, and some wood inlays. The front row seats are extremely spacious and come with an 18-way power adjustment, while the rear passengers are here for a treat with best-in-class legroom. Moreover, you get heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and armrest, a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade, and quad-zone automatic climate control, soft-close automatic door operation, keyless entry, power tilt, and telescopic steering column as standard. That said, the new 7 Series have a stainless steel insert in the loading sill. 

All the cars can seat 5 people except the Porsche. The S-Class provides class-leading front-row headroom but goes short on the rear-row legroom. The Bimmer provides the best rear-row legroom. The BMW also has the best in class cargo capacity at 18.2 cu-ft while the least cargo capacity is offered on the opponent from the Mercedes Benz. Standout interior features include:

• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Dakota Leather upholstery
• 20-way power-adjustable front seats
• Quad-Zone Climate Control
• Heated Steering wheel
• Power tilt and power telescopic steering column 
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror 
• Panoramic sunroof
• Universal garage-door opener
• Ambient lighting 
• Head-up display 

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2020 BMW 7-Series comes with an iDrive7 infotainment system. There’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen that has crisp graphics and is simple to use. BMW has added a ton of features focusing more on hands-free control- includes gesture and voice-based controls. The features are very gimmicky and become difficult to use as well as control, so we wouldn’t suggest using that till BMW optimizes it for good. 

Standard features include Apple CarPlay, wireless device charging, a 16-Speaker Harman-Kardon Sound system, navigation system, SiriusXM, HD Radio, 2 USB ports, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi Hotspot. Unfortunately, Android Auto isn’t available and that can bug some of the owners. In the optional features, a 7-inch touch command tablet in the rear-seat entertainment system is given. Standout infotainment features are:

• Apple CarPlay
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• Voice-commands and gesture controls
• 16-Speaker Harman-Kardon Premium Sound System
• A 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 12.3-inch instrument cluster 
• Rear seat entertainment system 

The 2020 BMW 7-Series has received many changes on the exterior. The engineers at BMW have put a 40 percent bigger grille than before. We say the grille is subjective and the rest is quite brilliantly redesigned to catch your attention. New front and rear bumpers are given and new tailpipe covers are given. At the front new Icon LED headlamps are present which have been slimmed down and made sleeker compared to previous headlamps. The front has been revised to fit the massive grille, the side is now more flat and square, and air intakes have also received some changes. The hood has been elevated by around 1.7-inches. 

The rear gets some new treatment on the tail light which is more modern-looking. Overall, the new design looks more muscular and angular. Although it sacrifices elegance to some extent, the modern and futuristic approach makes the 2020 BMW 7 Series stand out in the crowd. The base trim runs on 18-inch V-Spoke aluminum wheels which can be upgraded to 19-inch double-spoke orbit grey aluminum wheels. That aside, LED daytime running lamps, power heated side mirrors, power trunk lid, and rain-sensing windshield wipers are some standard exterior features. 

The 2020 BMW 7-Series gets the highest ground clearance which is something to be considered if you don’t want those accidental bumps. The Porsche Panamera is slightly shorter in length compared to all other rivals and is the reason its interior space isn’t as good as the others. The Audi A8L is the heaviest of the lot and design-wise it isn’t as lively as the 7 Series. Standout exterior features include:

• 18-inch V-spoke wheels 
• Icon Adaptive LED headlamps with automatic high-beams
• 3D geometry tail lamps 
• Power trunk lid 
• Dual exhaust pipes
• LED DRLs

Given that the BMW 7-series is a high-end luxury car, it hasn’t been crash-tested by the NHTSA or the IIHS. On the other side, being a high-end luxury car, BMW manages to push many advanced safety features in the 7 Series. Standard safety features in the 2020 BMW 7-Series include a surround-view parking camera system, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Get the Driving Assistance Professional Package for $1,700 and features such as active lane-keeping assistant, front cross-traffic alert, side collision avoidance, ACC with stop and go, and more. Standout safety features in the 2020 BMW 7 Series are:

• Seat belt alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Surround-view camera parking system
• Front collision warning
• Night Vision
• Evasion assistant with front cross-traffic alert

BMW 7-Series vs. Audi A8 L 55 Quattro

The home rival, Audi A8 L comes at a very similar price tag as the BMW 7 Series. Both cars boast a 3.0L turbocharged engine but the net torque output in the A8 is higher than the 7 Series. However, the similarities end here, the Bimmer has a tech-rich cabin compared to the Audi, better mileage numbers, and more cargo space. Also, with the flatter and stale design, you wouldn’t expect the Audi A8 L to turn heads while the BMW is a show-stealer

BMW 7-Series vs Mercedes Benz S-Class S450

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the most expensive sedan among the rivals. It also comes with a similar 3.0L engine but puts out more power than the BMW 7 Series which results in better performance. The S-class lacks in the fuel economy and cargo space compared to the 7 Series, but it has a more premium, quiet, and comfortable cabin in comparison. 

BMW 7-Series vs Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera cost $720 more than the BMW 7 Series. Both sedans have nearly similar acceleration from 0-60 mph but if we talk about the overall driving capabilities then the competitor from the Porsche has the upper hand. The Panamera has lower fuel efficiency than the 7 Series but its large fuel tank compensates for it. 

Except for the new controversial front-grille design which is very subjective, the 2020 BMW 7 Series is an example of class and perfection. It tops the table in almost every category and displays an impressive performance as well. The 2020 BMW 7-Series imposes a statement of elegance and premium lifestyle for the owners. Therefore, the BMW 7 Series is a great choice for you to bring home.