Price (as tested) 💲: $122,545
Powertrain ⚙️: 4.4-liter Twin-turbocharged V8 +48V Mild Hybrid
Output 💪: 523 hp/553 lb-ft of torque
Transmission 🕹: 8-Speed Automatic
0-60 MPH 🚦: 4.3 seconds
Top Speed 💥: 155 mph
MPG (as tested) ⛽️: 16 city/21 hwy/18 combined
Curb weight ⚖️: 5,700 lbs

 

With each refresh or new generation, car designers face immense pressure to improve a vehicle’s look. An aesthetic that ages out or falls flat is hard to market to those who are keeping up with the Joneses.

Unfortunately, if stylistic improvement isn’t achievable, the default is to dramatize. Which brings us to the 2023 BMW X7.

When the X7 first debuted a handful of years ago, the automotive community was quick to condemn its oversized grill and proportions, yet alongside the beaver-teeth chompers of modern Bimmers, the original X7 looks modest.

Alas, with gaping grills now old hat, the German automaker turns to the split headlights of the latest 7 Series. The effect is less than handsome, but thankfully not ruinous.

The design news is more favorable inside the cabin, where a captivating curved glass screen encompasses both the gauge cluster and infotainment. Accommodations remain tight for six or seven passengers, but comforts and conveniences abound.

As before, the X7 driving experience is its most praiseworthy attribute. In M60i guise, a new 4-liter V8 and mild hybrid configuration churns out the same 523hp as the discontinued M50i. Cornering composure is remarkable among three rows as well.

I may not love the impulse to overwhelm with styling, but the ‘23 BMW X7 is worth a look beneath the skin.