BMW 4 Series vs BMW X7

What's the difference?

The BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe manages to combine sleek design with a fun-to-drive personality and surprising practicality. It’s a rapid premium, four-door, five-seater offering extra flair, and in this part of the market, good value. But more than anything else it’s got a cracking in-line six under the bonnet.

When lined up against its direct rivals, the expensive X7 xDrive40d represents reasonable value for money.

It has a unique and bold look and a sumptuous, visually striking and well-appointed interior that has acres of space for family, friends, or for ferrying frequent flyers to the airport. 

That wallop of performance from the big beefy diesel is the cherry on the top. This is how you do a mid-life update. 

So, how does this four-door 4 Series differ from a four-door 3 Series? The answer is as plain as the nose on this car’s face.

BMW’s head of design, Adrian van Hooydonk, has been expanding the brand’s signature ‘kidney grille’ in every conceivable direction, and this is the much talked about interpretation adorning all 4 Series models (petrol, hybrid and electric) as well as the M3 sedan.

The new Gran Coupe is longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing model, and the track is broader, front and rear. The wheelbase has also been extended, now a whole 5.0mm longer than the 3 Series.

The DRLs and headlight main beams are LED with laser high beams, immense gills square up the edges of the front clip, while a vent and the strake attached to it stand the car apart. Plus, of course, the doors are frameless. 

One niggle, though. I’m not in love with the slender door handles. It’s hard to get a good grip on them, especially in the wet. 

Standard 19-inch alloy rims are shod with Pirelli P Zero rubber 245/40 fr / 255/40 rr), the roofline slopes distinctly towards the rear, a lip spoiler on the trailing edge of the tailgate is classic BMW, darkened LED tail-lights wrap around the rear corner, and a diffuser-type panel is flanked by large exhaust apertures.

Our car’s ‘Aventurine Red’ finish is a $3850 option, but to my eyes anyway it looks superb.

Exterior trim including the grille frame, front air intake inserts, mirror upper housing, model designation badges, and tailpipe are finished in ‘Cerium Grey’, which I reckon 99.9 per cent of people will see as black. 

The interior will be familiar territory for any current BMW owner, the 12.3-inch digital instrument screen sitting in a compact, hooded binnacle, and partnering with a 10.25-inch multimedia display standing proud of the dash above the broad centre stack. 

The seats are trimmed in top-shelf leather with blue contrast stitching, plus the grippy sports wheel is also wrapped in genuine hide.

BMW calls the finish on the main buttons and controls ‘Galvanic’ which translates to a slick silver metallic look and feel. Configurable ambient interior lighting is a nice touch, and the broad console enhances the driver-focused feel, with a sprinkling of carbon-fibre around the centre console and dash lifting the sense of occasion.

Overall, the interior feels clean and classy with an obvious attention to detail.  

There’s quite a bit that’s interesting about the X7’s design. Especially looking at it front on.

BMW certainly took a bold step when it introduced its toothy grille design for the X7 and the 4 Series range. 

But the Bavarian brand has made some even braver design moves recently by introducing a blocky front-end with split headlights on its new-gen 7 Series flagship sedan. That look has now found its way onto the face of the updated X7.

As with the 7 Series, it won’t be to everyone’s taste. But you can’t deny it has a lot of presence. 

The tail-lights have been tweaked and look good, but the sheer size of the X7 - it’s 5.2 metres long and 1.8 metres tall - means there’s no disguising the fact that it is a big, boxy SUV.

Inside the update ushers in significant design changes. The old dash and cowl is gone in favour of the ‘Curved Display’ that connects the instrument cluster and multimedia. 

New slimline air vents, LED backlit ‘X7’ graphics on the passenger side of the dash, and a new gear shift toggle that replaces the old shifter elevate the cabin and give it a much more modern vibe than the old X7 - one that’s in keeping with the excellent iX electric SUV.

At close to 4.8m long the 4 Series Gran Coupe is a sizeable machine. Up front, the feeling is airy and comfortable, and the rear is surprisingly spacious, especially in light of the car's sloping roofline.

At 183cm I have to fold myself tightly to fit under the low roof, but once inside I have enough room to sit behind the driver’s seat set for my position with more than enough legroom and adequate headroom. Put three full-size adults across the back row, though, and there will be breathing difficulties.

Kids will be fine, however, and individual vents with adjustable temp in the rear was a big plus during a particularly hot test week.

For storage there are generous door bins in the front with room for large bottles, a decent glove box, dual cupholders in the centre console, a reasonable lidded bin (which doubles as a centre armrest), and the wireless device charging bay (forward of the gearshift) makes a handy oddments space when not in use.

In the rear, again the doors feature pockets with room for (medium-size) bottles, there’s a fold down centre armrest with two cupholders, but thanks to the one-piece shells on our test car’s optional M Sport front seats there are no map pockets.

Power and connectivity runs to a USB-A socket and a 12V outlet in the front centre console, as well a USB-C port in the front storage bin, a pair of USB-Cs in the rear, and a 12V outlet in the boot.

Speaking of which, lift the tailgate and with the rear seat upright we were able to fit all three of our suitcases or the beefy CarsGuide pram into the healthy 470-litre (VDA) boot space.

Lower the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat down and 1290 litres of volume is at your disposal. Plus there are handy bag hooks and tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads.

You can also tow a braked trailer up to 1.8 tonnes (750kg unbraked), but don’t bother looking for a spare of any description, a repair/inflator kit is your only option.

Regardless of the price point, a three-row SUV needs to be super practical and capable of family duties. 

And if you want a BMW X5 but need a lot more space, this is the next logical step.

Let’s start in the front row. As mentioned, the new X7 gains the screen and tech set-up from other new BMW models like the iX and updated 3 Series. The Curved Display combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with digital speedo and a 14.9-inch multimedia screen.

You can customise the cluster layout and move things around on the multimedia screen, too. The latter is a touchscreen but you can also find what you need via the 'iDrive' controller in the console.

I have had some experience with this system in the iX and while it’s not without its flaws, it is a top notch system. There’s a lot to wrap your head around, but the use of app icons helps. And you can swipe through to your chosen screen.

It took far too long to work out how to find the trip computer, something that should be much easier to access, as well as a couple of other functions. And the climate controls are housed in the digital screen. I would always prefer a separate space with buttons for air-con.  

But the graphics and displays - including the excellent head-up display - are excellent. 

Other tech you get with the X7 includes the BMW’s 'Digital Key', which is an app that allows iPhone users to lock and unlock their car remotely, and BMW ID driver profile.

If you buy this car, just allow yourself some time to familiarise yourself with all that tech.

Elsewhere up front there’s a lovely new three-spoke steering wheel, and cute touches like the metal air vent toggles, black and metal touches and the choice of inserts.

The front seats are luxurious and comfortable and offer loads of side and thigh support. They have memory functions, too. There’s no shortage of headroom up front, either.

Storage-wise, the door will fit the largest of bottles, as well as other items thanks to generous door bins, while the central lidded box is also sizeable. 

What about that second row?

The X7 xDrive40d usually comes standard with seven seats, but our test car was fitted with the $1500 captain’s chair option which drops seating capacity down to six people.

If you need the extra seating this is not the option for you, but it is great for families with bigger kids, and it would make for an excellent airport transfer car. 

The seats are unbelievably comfortable and can be adjusted to suit your preference. They also have ISOFIX points and armrests. 

Rear seat occupants have access to their own climate controls, air vents, USB ports, cupholders and ample door storage.

There is a massive amount of occupant space as well - stretch those legs out and enjoy it!

One of the X7’s selling points is that it is a genuine three-row SUV. That third row is not just for occasional use for very small children, like so many seven-seat SUVs. That row can be used every day. 

Even with my six foot stature, I could easily climb in and out of the third row. That’s made even easier thanks to the mechanical seat functions.

Just hit the lever at the top of the second row seat and the motor moves the seat forward and up to ensure there’s a big enough aperture to get in and out of the rear seats. 

You can also raise and lower the third row electronically via buttons on the boot wall - and they stow flush into the boot floor. Neat!

Once in the third row, there’s air vents, USB ports, bottle holders and storage and quite comfortable seats with more than enough leg and head room.

There’s even a third row section of the sunroof, operated from the second row. Lots of clever touches that people who use the third row will appreciate.

The boot has a few cool features, too, including a split tailgate.

You can even sit on the lower section - it can handle a load of up to 250kg - a perfect place to sit and watch the polo.

You can lower the suspension to aid loading larger items, and the X7 comes with a space-saver spare wheel.

Capacity is 300 litres with all seats in place, and I easily fit a pair of smaller suitcases in with that configuration. It increases to 2120L with the two rear rows folded. 

We are way out of Kluger and Sorento territory with the BMW X7. This is a bus for cashed-up families. 

The upper-large SUV was introduced in mid-2019, but as part of the mid-life update, BMW has changed up the model grades. There are still two, but the xDrive30d and M50i have been replaced by the diesel-powered xDrive40d M Sport, and the performance-focused V8 petrol-powered M60i.

For the purpose of this review, we drove the 40d M Sport, which gets a power boost over the outgoing 30d - more on that in a bit.

As a result of the significant update, BMW has increased pricing on both grades. For the xDrive40d, it now starts at $174,900, before on-road costs, which represents an increase of more than $30,000 over the old 30d.

If you’re after a bigger dollop of performance, the M60i will cost you $205,900.

While the xDrive40d pricing seems steep, it undercuts a couple of other big luxury diesel SUVs including the Mercedes-Benz GLS400d ($179,500 BOC) and the Toyota LandCruiser-based Lexus LX F Sport ($176,091 BOC).

The most affordable diesel-powered version of the new-generation Range Rover starts from $226,806, so in that regard, the X7 40d is the best value in its class!

As well as the updated powertrain and in-car tech, the X7 xDrive 40d now comes with a hefty standard features list including metallic paint, 22-inch wheels, the M Sport pack, five-zone climate control, Harman Kardon 16-speaker sound system, a drive recorder, comfort seats, ‘Comfort Access’, roof rails, electric sunblinds, panoramic glass sunroof, digital radio, a head-up display, ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and leather interior.

Our test car was fitted with a number of options that pushed the price to just under $185,000. The extras included huge 23-inch alloy wheels ($3500), BMW Individual 'Dravit Grey' body paint ($2400), a trailer tow hitch ($2500) and second row captain’s chairs ($1500).

Note that if you opt for that tow hitch, you’ll lose the ability to open the hands-free tailgate with a kick motion.

Under the bonnet is BMW’s (B58) all-alloy 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo intercooled, in-line six-cylinder engine, driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and electronically controlled clutch pack, as well as an electronic limited-slip differential at the rear.

It features high-pressure direct-injection and BMW’s ‘Valvetronic’ system managing air flow to the intake side, to produce 285kW at a relatively high 5800-6500rpm. But the big punch is 500Nm of peak torque from just 1900rpm all the way to 5000rpm.

The M440i is also a mild-hybrid with a 48-volt starter motor-generator and supplementary battery able to give an 8.0kW kick at low engine speeds.

The X7 xDrive40d is powered by a 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, that gets a boost in power - it pumps out 259kW of power and 720Nm of torque - 64kW/100Nm more than the 30d.

It now also comes with 48-volt mild hybrid tech, which uses an electric motor integrated in the eight-speed automatic transmission.

It drives all four wheels via BMW’s 'xDrive' all-wheel drive system and it is fitted with air suspension for a cushy ride. Towing capacity is rated at 3.5 tonnes braked or 750kg unbraked.

If you are keen on off-roading in the X7, it has a 221mm ground clearance, and a fording depth of 500mm, but maybe best to keep it on the tarmac.

BMW’s official fuel economy figure for the M440i xDrive Gran Coupe, on the ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban cycle, is 8.2L/100km, the 3.0-litre turbo six-cylinder emitting 187g/km of C02 in the process.

Stop/start is standard, and we saw an average of 11.1L/100km over city, B-road and freeway running during a week with the car.

With the 59-litre tank brimmed (with minimum 95RON premium unleaded) that real-world test number translates to a range of around 530km.  

According to BMW, the official combined cycle fuel figure for the X7 40d is 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres.

Our fuel figure after nearly a week of mixed city, freeway and country driving was 9.0L/100km, which isn’t too far off the mark.

It has an 80 litre fuel tank and an approximate driving range of 1000km.

BMW says the M440i xDrive Gran Coupe will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.7sec, and I reckon the threshold for a properly quick car is sub-five seconds.

The 3.0-litre turbo six develops its peak power of 285kW between a relatively lofty 5800-6500rpm, but the big number is a solid 500Nm punch of pulling power delivered between 1900-5000rpm.

Squeeze the throttle pedal pretty much anywhere in the rev range and the response is glorious. Rapid acceleration accompanied by raucous engine noise and rorty exhaust note (albeit with some synthetic support). Various pops and bangs in the Sport settings add extra entertainment.. 

The eight-speed auto gets some electric support from the mild-hybrid system to fill the torque gap on up shifts, and the result is a conventional torque-converter transmission that behaves like a dual-clutch.

Shifts are seamless in general driving, and satisfyingly quick in a more aggressive mode, the wheel-mounted paddles dialing up the fun in manual changes. 

Suspension is double wishbone front and multi-link rear with the standard ‘Adaptive M Suspension’ built around an adaptive damper set-up.

The change between the ‘Comfort’ setting to the ‘Sport’ or ‘Sport+’ calibration is close to instant and makes a discernible difference, especially in terms of ride comfort.

I found the best ‘Individual Sport’ arrangement to be damping in Comfort, with the steering engine and transmission in Sport. The car flows so beautifully through corners with urgent response from the powertrain.

By all means dial up the suspension if you’re having a real crack, but the car feels superbly balanced, stable and predictable in Comfort (front to rear weight distribution is 50:50).

The electrically-assisted variable-ratio steering is nicely weighted with good road feel, and the grippy sports steering wheel is a nice point of contact.

The xDrive AWD system’s default setting is rear-biased, although it will push most of the drive forward when required. But the RWD feel is unmistakable. 

The M440i weighs in at around 1.9 tonnes but feels lighter and more nimble than that figure would typically indicate.  

A standard electronically-controlled M Sport limited-slip differential puts the power down confidently. I have a favourite LSD test corner on my regular evaluation drive, a sharply twisting and rising left-hander.

Rolling into it in a low gear before planting the throttle mid-corner, the car simply hunkers down without a hint of fuss (or traction loss) as it rockets out the other side.

Optional M Sport front seats ($2000) provide comfort and firm location in equal measure and in terms of ergonomics BMW knows how to focus on the driver and set-up an efficient environment. Key controls are perfectly positioned and simple to operate.

I have an issue with the ‘Lane Departure Warning’ function, however, which is too quick to intervene and overly intrusive when it does so. I turned the ‘Steering Intervention’ function off. You can dial down steering wheel vibration warnings, too.

The standard M Sport brakes feature big vented rotors front and rear, with fixed four-piston front calipers doing the bulk of the work. They’re strong but don’t bite or release too aggressively. It’s easy to grease in a smooth application. 

With a big plush SUV like this, you’d expect a comfortable ride. And for the most part, the X7 delivers that, while offering more than a bit of grunt, as well.

The X7’s height ensures a high driving position, and there’s plenty of glass for decent visibility. 

Propelling a 2.5-tonne SUV could be a struggle for a lesser engine, but the meaty diesel offers ample torque and the mild hybrid set-up helps to reduce initial turbo lag significantly - that means it is responsive from a standing start.

I wouldn't have thought a vehicle of this size and shape was capable of a 5.9-second 0-100km/h time, but here we are.

As a result of all that torque and power, overtaking is a breeze - providing there is enough room on the other side of the road for both cars to fit.

That size and heft have an impact on cornering and dynamics. You simply can’t carve through tight corners in this car, but with that said, it’s more entertaining than you’d think. 

Steering feel is weighted on the heavier side and it’s as sharp as it needs to be in a car like this. It would be weird if the steering was too pointy. 

Ride quality is top notch - as it should be - and while the massive optional 23-inch wheels and low profile tyres mean you’ll notice potholes and the like, it largely soaks up imperfections with ease.

That level of refinement extends to the hushed ride, too. The cabin is a quiet and serene place to spend time - but not quite to the same degree as a 7 Series. 

Parking in tight spots is a challenge, and manoeuvring in narrow streets could take a while, too. But you could tell that just by looking at the X7.

The X7 has size on its side when it comes to occupant protection, but it also comes with a decent level of safety gear as standard.

Features include auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, a safe exit assist function to avoid 'dooring', and an advanced lane keeping aid, ‘Parking Assistant Professional’, ‘Trailer Assistant’, and hill descent control.

The X7 is yet to be crash tested by the local safety authority, ANCAP, or by Euro NCAP.

The M440i Gran Coupe is covered by BMW’s three-year/unlimited km warranty (including paintwork), as well as 12-year/unlimited km anti-corrosion (perforation) cover. 

That’s off the premium market pace now with Genesis, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz at five years/unlimited km and Lexus set to join them from January 1st, 2022. 

That said, roadside assistance is provided for the duration of the main warranty, but it’s worth noting “rattles and squeaks” are only covered for one year.

Service is condition-based, the car telling you when maintenance is required, and a range of service packages are available. The basic plan covering a 4 Series for five years/80,000km comes in at $1750. 

After copping a bit of flack from motoring media and buyers, BMW finally increased its warranty terms last year from three years to an industry standard five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty on its vehicles, including the X7.

Rather than a set servicing schedule, BMW offers condition-based servicing which is when the vehicle’s computer alerts the owner that it requires a service. 

BMW doesn’t offer capped-price servicing, but does have a pre-paid 'Service Inclusive Package' with terms ranging from three years/40,000km to five years/80,000km and beyond. 

A five-year basic package for the X7 costs $2800, which is not too bad considering the positioning of this model.