2023 BMW X7 Has More Power and New Features, but You Have to Get Past the New Styling

UPDATE 1/26/23: This review has been updated with test results for the M60i.

Love it or hate it, BMW’s controversial styling has always been there. The grille got bigger, the headlights got weirder, but the brand’s sales remained strong. This time, it’s the X7 big SUV’s turn for facial surgery. The 2023 model has an updated look that aims to bring it in line with the new-generation 7-series sedan, and it’s polarizing. There’s more to the new X7 than a revised front and rear design, however, as the model also sees an upgraded engine, a spruced-up interior, and a number of new standard and optional features.

While the previous X7 looked almost like a stretched and flared X5, the new front end makes a more pronounced statement with eyebrow-like daytime running lights above square headlights mounted lower on the fascia. BMW admits it is not the first automaker to use this reverse headlight look. We can’t help but notice that previous vehicles that tried it, like the Jeep Cherokee and Nissan Juke, either quickly abandoned it or were dropped altogether. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if the X5 and X6 end up using this face as well. Sigh.

The tail of the X7 is more pleasing to the eye, as additional chrome bars and revised taillights create a fresh appearance. There’s also a new wheel design, including a massive 23-inch option for the first time. Those big rollers are best avoided, though, as the X7 we drove with 23s rode rough over big bumps. The 21 and 22 inches ride better and still fill the wheel wells well.

Again, the X7 offers a choice of six-cylinder or V-8 power. BMW says most buyers opt for the xDrive40i model with the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, and that’s the engine that has received the most significant upgrades. It gains 40 horsepower and 52 pound-feet of torque for a new total of 375 horses and 383 pound-feet—now besting the Mercedes-Benz GLS450 in both respects. Additionally, the 48-volt hybrid system adds torque that melts the total up to 398 pound-feet. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 also gets a 48-volt system, but its output is unchanged at 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet. Don’t be fooled by the name of the new V-8 M60i model replacing the previous M50i. BMW says the change in nomenclature is only intended to align gas engine trim levels with electric models, including the new iX M60.

To be fair, the M60i does live up to its larger badge number by delivering better results on our test track. It hits 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, beating our long-term X7 M50i by 0.3 seconds, and runs through the quarter mile in 12.3 seconds at 111 mph, an improvement of 0.4 seconds. That 60-mph sprint is just 0.1 second behind the far more powerful 612-hp 2021 Alpina XB7. But the Alpina does have a bigger punch, 630-hp for 2023, so it should be able to retain its slim bragging rights.

Upgrading the powertrain doesn’t change the character of the engine much. As before, the V-8 is fun, with a snarling exhaust note and a luscious amount of torque. It’s hard to deny the draw of 523 burbling horsepower in a big vehicle like this. Still, the inline-six is ​​so smooth and enjoyable that it’s an equally compelling choice. Although less ravenous than the V-8, the six, with its quiet demeanor, is well-suited to hauling upscale people. Additionally, the xDrive40i is hardly lacking in power, and its EPA combined fuel economy rating is 22 mpg, 4 mpg better than the M60i. Our M60i test vehicle returned 23 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel economy test, beating its EPA estimate by 2 mpg.

Accurate steering, good sight lines and a composed chassis help the X7 drive smaller than it really is. Despite plenty of body roll in the standard air suspension’s loose Comfort mode, the X7 corners well in firmer Sport mode, with a very high grip threshold—0.85 g on our skid pads—and powerful brakes that stop the X7 from 70 mph in 155 feet a short one.

Even so, the X7 is most enjoyable when you sit in the plush seats and just cruise. The interior consists of rich materials and many new standard features, including more adjustment for the front seats, a panoramic sunroof and four-zone climate control (five zones are optional, with a fifth setting for those in the rearmost row). The new curved display screen that spreads across the BMW lineup incorporates a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen. You can control the latter with the iDrive knob on the center console, and BMW’s latest operating system remains relatively easy to use given its complexity.

Once de rigueur among full-size luxury SUVs, the X7’s list of driver assistance features has expanded to include a hands-free driving function. Unlike Cadillac’s Super Cruise or Lincoln’s ActiveGlide, however, the X7’s system is hands-free only at lower speeds, such as in traffic jam scenarios. With so many cameras and sensors on board, BMW is also rolling out functions such as trailer backup assist and a park assist system that can “remember” certain maneuvers and autonomously guide you in or out of tight garages.

The X7 already has a lot going for itself as one of the more luxurious and best-driving entries in the full-size SUV class. It’s not cheap—our M60i test car was priced at $122,545—but neither are its rivals. For 2023, various upgrades, i.e. an improved powertrain and an exciting range of technologies, only strengthen its position at the top of the segment. And while the X7 is never pretty—nor is it a giant barge, for that matter—the funky new front end is the only catch.

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