Yes, the BMW X7 has arrived on Philippine soil. SMC Asia Car Corporation, the German manufacturer’s official local distributor, has brought in the brand’s largest SUV to date, and it’s a big deal—literally.
The BMW X7 has been in development as early as 2017, with BMW Group design chief Adrian van Hooydonk telling Top Gear back then that the final product would offer the practicality of a large SUV with 7-Series levels of luxury and refinement.
Well, here it is, then—the final product in the metal about two years later. Let’s dive right in and see what this vehicle has to offer, shall we?
Exterior
We do have to say it again: BMW has never produced a vehicle of this size before the X7. The vehicle measures a massive (at least for the German manufacturer’s standards) 5,151mm long, 2,000mm wide, and 1,805mm tall. It’s large, but seeing it in the metal, you never get the sense that this thing’s a purebred hauler like many other vehicles that come in similar dimensions.
The X7’s front end is simply dominating, and most of what’s going on in terms of design can be found here. Chances are (and it shows online) that not everyone is a fan of that humongous kidney grille. It’s enormous, though we think it rather suits the SUV’s overall size. The component is flanked by long, angry headlights featuring blue, x-shaped elements inside.
You get a set of large 22-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels, a decent amount of nice chrome trim lining the sides and the rear, and dual exhausts out back, too. Overall, this looks like a large SUV that only BMW can put together.
Interior
This SUV’s dimensions pay dividends when it comes to interior space. There’s ample room for seven passengers, all of whom will be enveloped in only the finest environment the German car manufacturer can whip up. Even third-row passengers get armrests and USB charging ports.
Standard to the Philippine-spec X7 cabin is premium ‘Merino’ leather upholstery, five-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and a Harman Kardon sound system. The center console deserves special mention, as does the area surrounding the attractive glass shift knob.
All seats can fold up automatically for easy ingress and egress, and the rear cargo area can hold up to a maximum of 2,120 liters of luggage with the seats down. Extra bits include cool ambient lighting with changeable colors and a ‘welcome light carpet’ feature. And, as with most cars courtesy of BMW, the steering wheel is a joy to hold. If you like BMW interiors, you’re going to dig the X7’s.
Engine and specs
The 2019 BMW X7 features the company’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system, and only comes with a single engine option in the Philippine market: a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo in-line-six diesel engine capable of 265hp and 620Nm of torque. This will come mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
You’ll be gliding on EDSA on BMW’s adaptive suspension with electronic dampers and air springs. Neat trick: If, for whatever reason, you find the vehicle’s standard ground clearance lacking, you can raise it by up to 80mm via the simple push of a button.
Extra features
Drivers will be faced by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. A central control display of the same size and with Apple CarPlay capability comes as standard. Rear passengers have control of the entertainment system via a pair of 10.2-inch high-resolution touchscreens in the second row—this is capable of accessing the X7’s navigation features, too.
Six airbags come as standard, as do advanced safety features like hill-descent control and Active Protection, which closes any windows and tightens seatbelts in the event that the system detects an accident is imminent. The X7 also gets Parking Assistant Plus, which includes Park Distance Control for the front and rear, a rearview camera, and surround view. For added convenience when loading cargo, the two-part liftgate in the rear is also automated.
Prices and variants
The 2019 BMW X7 is available in only one variant here in the Philippines: the BMW X7 xDrive30d Pure Excellence. This carries a price tag of P9,290,000 and comes with a five-year or 200,000km manufacturer’s warranty.
So, what do you think of BMW’s new behemoth?
