BMW I7 vs Isuzu NNR

What's the difference?

The i7 xDrive60 M Sport is close to the perfect 7 Series. From the comfort of being driven in it, to the ease of driving it, even for hours on end.

The i7's range of 625km is outstanding for an electric vehicle, but a petrol powered 740i will get you about 900km on a full tank. How many kilometres a day will you cover? Do you have time and a way to charge the i7 daily if you do cover a lot of distance?

If driving range isn't an issue, the i7 will reward you with a smooth, effortless driving experience and your passengers will have a serene journey in luxurious, high-tech surroundings. Just don't bump the door release button accidentally!

A truck like the NPR (or any other truck, really) is never going to replace a dual-cab ute in terms of its duality. While the latter can tend to weekday chores and be quickly reconfigured for weekend fun, the light truck has no such facility. Nope, it’s a workhorse. Period.

You need a fair bit of real estate just to park the Isuzu overnight and it certainly won’t fit in the typical supermarket car space. It’s hardly sporty to drive, either, although the latest upgrades have made it more user friendly in a total sense and safer than ever before.

But what it does do that a dual-cab ute can’t often do, is tackle bigger, heavier jobs with a fair bit of bandwidth still up its sleeve. And if the nine-to-five side of things is where you need to be, then a vehicle like this has to be worth a look. And if you consistently find that you’re sailing close to the wind in terms of exceeding a ute’s legal payload, towing capacity or GCM, then the extra bigness of a light truck could make a huge difference.

That’s especially so given the price tag. Okay, you’re not buying a lot of high tech for your money, but you are getting some seriously stout engineering and an expectation that you won’t be working the thing to death anytime soon.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

At 5.4m long and 2.2m wide the i7 xDrive60 M Sport is enormous and imposing  - as a 7 Series BMW should be.

What's significantly different in the look of this latest incarnation of BMW flagship limousine is its show stopping face.

That LED-lined grille has Vegas pizazz and the pretty glittering Swarovski Crystal headlights are mesmerising. I doubt the words 'pizazz' and 'pretty' have ever been used to describe any previous generation BMW 7 Series.

Fear not, though, from every other angle the i7 looks business-like and serious… and solid as though carved from a single slab of marble.

Solid is also a good word for the i7's interior. Look at the seats in the images - they're hotel lobby sized and I'm still uncertain how they managed to fit them through the i7's doorway.

Our car had the Merino Tartufo brown leather upholstery which suited the 1970s-style futuristic design of the seats with their headrests wrapped in carbon fibre and the satin aluminium trim throughout the cabin. They look like seats from the bridge of a spaceship in a sci-fi series.

The enormous 31.3-inch screen in the rear is a show-stopper as are the tablets in the rear doors to control the screen functions along with the seat heating and adjustment.

Disappointing in comparison is the smaller media and instrument displays up front. And it's not just the lesser proportions but the styling of the screens that's a let down.

Surely this was a chance for BMW to integrate a large, flowing interactive screen over the dashboard and not something which looks propped up and an afterthought to the design of the cabin.

I also find the crystal-effect plastic that trims the dashboard and extends into the doors a little over-the-top, especially when it's backlit with LEDs.

It can’t be easy to make a light truck look fashionable, but Isuzu has done a reasonable job of making the thing look, at least, current. The lighting has all been changed to LEDs now, and the bold, angular face the truck presents looks pretty modern.

But new tech has also forced some design changes. The bull-bar that is part of the Tradepack deal, for instance, has been redesigned with changes to the main hoop. That’s all to accommodate the radar units inside each headlight that inform the front cross-traffic warning system of anything in the way.

Also notable is the attention to detail of the optional (rather than the alloy tray seen here) Australian-made service body. With a choice of internal layouts, the flip-up sides reveal a proper workshop on wheels when configured that way.

It’s also nice to see that all the clips and catches on the drop-side tray can be easily replaced if damaged.

Sure, the i7 isn't an SUV but a sedan like this needs to be roomy and comfortable, it also needs to be an ergonomic place to work for passengers in the back with laptops, and it needs to be well appointed with internet connectivity and charging outlets. A boot that can take at least two passenger's luggage is also vital.

The i7 has all of that covered with good legroom in the second row even for me at 189cm tall. I spent two hours back there writing my script for the video for this review while the i7 was charging.

As I typed away I had plenty of elbow room but I could have done with a tray table for the computer.

There's a wireless phone charger in the fold-down rear centre console, along with USB ports galore.

You'll find another wireless phone charger up front and more USB ports. The i7 also has its own internet hotspot.

The sumptuous seats in the rear are power adjustable and also heated, but lack a massaging function.

There's also rear dual-zone climate control and sun-blinds which cover the back and side windows.

Cabin storage is good with large covered areas in the front and rear centre consoles, plus there are two cupholders in the rear and another two up front, with large door pockets, as well.

The cargo capacity of the boot is a healthy 500 litres but it's quite shallow due to the electric vehicle batteries eating into the luggage space.

The automatic doors can be opened several ways from the inside.

First there's a button inside which is high on the rear door and another on the dashboard which will open them automatically while using sensors to ensure they don't hit anything.

There's another button much lower down which will pop the door open slightly for you to push it the rest of the way.

Finally there's an emergency handle which will override the electric opening.

You can open the doors from the outside automatically by pushing a button near the door handle or by using the exterior door handle normally.

Closing involves pressing the high placed button if you're inside or by tapping the exterior button on the outside door handle if you've exited the car.

We did have a door mishap twice during our week with the i7. The first was when bags placed on the front passenger seat bumped the release button and caused the door to pop open, followed quickly by me lunging across to pull it shut again. It's lucky my arms are long.

The second was when my eight-year old son bumped the door release button with his knee again popping open the door but this time at 110km/h on the motorway. He was able to close the door but it rattled both of us, understandably and I kept the child lock on for the rest of the week.

He's been in a different test vehicle every week of his life since he was born and this is the first time we've ever had a door open unintentionally like this. I've also never had a door open, just because a bag has leaned on it, either.

So, the auto door opening function might create a nice impression and make opening and closing the heavy doors easier, but I think manual doors would be more practical.

The new cabin Isuzu has brewed up certainly brings the truck into the present, but it’s still very much a light truck in some respects. As in, it’s still a pretty good climb inside, although there are steps and handles to make that easier. The steering column still gets in the way as you swing your left leg inside, though.

The plastic surfaces would still make a car interior designer cringe, and the floor is vinyl and the seats cloth. But the three-abreast seating arrangement makes sense and, should you choose the dual-cab N Series option, there’s actually seven seats in all.

Cabin storage has obviously been a priority for Isuzu, and there are three large, netted overhead bins above the top of the windscreen, as well as bins and buckets across the width of the lower dashboard. Interestingly, each door has just a single, slim pocket and no bottle storage.

The centre console addresses that somewhat with a pair of cup-holders and a pen slot, while there’s also a large bin behind the seat on the bulkhead. There’s also an interior light that wouldn’t look out of place in an industrial kitchen.

The dashboard is home to a pair of USB charge-ports in the centre and the truck stuff continues with a wand for the exhaust brake and a knob near the steering column for a fast-idle setting. It’s also nice to see that even though Isuzu has adopted keyless entry and start for the N Series, the starter button resembles a conventional key and is located right where it should be in the side of the steering column.

What’s missing? Mainly a vanity mirror on either side of the cabin and a physical volume knob for the stereo. Oh, and paddle shifters would be nice too, especially when towing.

Externally, the Tradepack option gets you an aluminium drop-side tray, sturdy ladder racks, a tow bar, bull bar, toolboxes fitted below the tray between the axles and even a wash station for after-work clean ups.

The tray is fitted in Australia (many of the Ready to Work body options are also made here) and the load floor is a vast expanse of alloy with the ability to cope with small, heavy objects thanks to its high-impact materials. But the usual drop-side tray caveats apply including a high loading height, rattling from the sides and the legal requirement to lash everything down before hitting the road.

Meantime, part of the overall appeal of the Isuzu line-up is that there are something like 40 different permutations of cabin width, wheelbase, GVM, overall length and driveline.

But here’s perhaps the N Series’ greatest trick when it comes to being practical: While it’s easy to dismiss the vehicle for being too big and unwieldy, many operators would possibly find that the extra payload and real estate in the cargo area means that they might not need to tow a trailer every time they venture on to a job site. At which point, the dual-cab ute with a tandem trailer starts to look less convenient, especially if there’s any reversing or squeezing on to a tight site involved.

Oh, and if tight spaces really are an issue, the N Series’ sub-10m turning circle makes a typical dual-cab’s 12.5 metre turning circle look ridiculously ungainly. And that’s before we get to that trailer.

Typically for a vehicle like this, a full-sized spare tyre is included.

Like the rest of the N Series line-up, the NPR Tradepack model we’ve chosen to review here is available in a range of cabin widths and wheelbases and even a choice of Gross Vehicle Mass. But first, let’s break down the badge. In Isuzu-speak, N stands for the smallest family in the light-truck line-up. As such, it can be driven on a normal car license in Australia.

The P stands for the GVM, in this case that license-friendly 4.5 tonnes, although you can opt for the higher, 6.5-tonne GVM at which point an endorsed license is required.

And, finally, R is Isuzu’s in-house code for a truck that is two-wheel-drive and uses conventional steel-spring suspension rather than air suspension.

Isuzu says the Tradepack option with its large tray and fittings is a very popular one, so that’s what we’ve concentrated on here. That pack equates to all the drop-side tray, racks and fittings, so it’s a comprehensive add-on. Of course, you can take your NPR as a bare cab-chassis, too, and save by swapping over the tray and fittings from your old truck.

Beyond the nuts and bolts stuff, the NPR includes LED lights all-round, heated and powered exterior mirrors (and they’re huge), keyless entry and start, cruise control, steering-wheel mounted controls, climate-control air-con, a suspension driver’s seat and a tilt and reach adjustable steering column. There’s also a 10.1 inch multimedia screen in the centre of the dashboard, digital radio, sat-nav and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The features that tell you this is still a truck and not a passenger car include the steel wheels, cloth seat trim and vinyl flooring.

As it sits, the NPR Tradepack costs $86,014 on the road, but that’s an all-up figure, and not one where you then have to arrange your own accessories and bits and pieces. It’s also within a few hundred dollars of the Ford Ranger Super Duty Super Cab which, perhaps not so coincidentally, has an identical GVM of 4000kg, GCM of 8000kg and slightly more towing capacity of 4500kg versus the NPR dual-clutch’s 4000kg.

The i7 xDrive 60 M Sport has two electric motors - one at the front one at the rear - making this large saloon all-wheel drive.

The combined output is outrageous. We're talking 400kW and 750Nm. That's enough oomph to fire this electric missile from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds.

When EVs first came out a lot of people saw the technology as lending itself to small city cars, but with the smoothness of motion is offers, the silent operation and the colossal grunt it can supply nothing suits a big limo like the 7 Series better than electric motors.

Believe it or not there’s actually a family connection between the 3.0-litre turbo diesel in the Isuzu NRL and the Isuzu D-Max dual-cab and MU-X SUV.

While the displacement of the D-Max remains, the unit in the light truck has been retuned to liberate more torque at lower engine speeds. In this case, that’s 129kW at 2860rpm and 430Nm of torque anywhere between 1450rpm and 2860rpm. That gives the engine great flexibility, but the transmission also plays a part.

That’s either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed dual-clutch unit. The latter has either manual or fully automatic shift modes, and it’s worth is backed up by the potential for lower fuel consumption thanks to the inherent efficiency in such a transmission as well as the three extra ratios.

Designed and made in-house at Isuzu, the brand says it’s confident the wet-clutch unit doesn’t carry the potential flaws of some other dual-clutch units we could name. That said, Isuzu has downgraded the towing capacity from 4.5 to four tonnes if the nine-speed is fitted.

And just like any good truck, there’s the provision for a power-take-off on the side of each transmission option, as well as an exhaust brake to help the mechanical brakes when fully laden.

Unlike many light trucks before it, the Isuzu doesn’t get stuck with a rigid front axle. Instead, you get a proper independent set-up with coil springs, while the rear end remains a live axle with leaf springs in the interests of carting lots of heavy stuff.

There are removal trucks shorter and narrower than the i7 but this limousine is possibly the easiest and most comfortable car I've driven in almost 15 years of testing vehicles from Toyotas to Bentleys.

The steering is pinky-finger light but accurate, the ride (as driver and passenger in the second row) is superbly composed and the electric powertrain add a smoothness to movement that no combustion engine on the planet can come close to.

The xDrive60 M Sport comes standard with BMW's 'Executive Drive Pro' feature which includes the 'Active Roll Stabilisation' and 'Active Roll Comfort' systems used on Rolls Royces.

The systems use motors to level the body through dips and corners, and the result has to be felt to be fully appreciated.

It's oddly amazing - you could have a bowl of molten lava in your lap and not spill any of it.

And then there are the seats. As a driver the under thigh support offered by the big, thick, wide seat base is exactly right for long distances, while the back rest is supportive without being too firm.

If I was to name any downsides to the driving experience it would be the limited forward visibility due to the narrow windscreen and thick. short A-pillars.

I found myself always having to peer around those pillars at intersections and pedestrian crossings.

Rearward visibility is completely blocked when the second row's large screen is folded down and the rear vision mirror doesn't have a camera function to get around this issue.

Sure there's a reversing camera but being able to see what's coming up behind you in traffic is important to for safe situational awareness.

I'm also not a fan of the synthesised driving sounds. It's unnecessary, especially in something like a chauffeur-operated limousine.

I think it only serves to cheapen what is such a high-end experience. Thankfully you can turn it off.

The same goes for 'Boost Mode' which provides all available grunt once a paddle behind the steering wheel is pulled and counts down like a missile launch. Seriously? Come on - this isn't a 2 Series!

Actually climbing aboard the Isuzu is job one, and you’ll need the handles and step to do it safely. Then again, it’s probably no more testing than getting into a really low sports car in a degree of difficulty sense.

With that accomplished, you’re met with two things; the view out and the very un-car-like driving position. The first is fantastic for forward vision. And it’s not just the height advantage over other traffic. The cab-over-engine layout also means you’re almost at the very front of the truck, meaning you can see a lot more of what’s directly in front of you, even if it’s almost under your nose. Jumping back into a dual-cab ute for comparison emphasises the point enormously.

The driving position, meanwhile, might take more getting used to. The steering wheel is almost flat and you tend to sit pretty upright. Long-distance drivers will tell you this is actually great for long stints at the helm, and it honestly feels pretty natural after just a few minutes. But the steering column placement means there’s no chance of left-foot braking which some drivers (this one included) prefer.

Once you’re rolling, the dual-clutch transmission starts to feel pretty handy with short, sharp upshifts and a calibration that sees it keen to downshift on deceleration to help balance the vehicle, take the stress off the brakes and ensure that the engine is in its power band for when you next throttle on.

Speaking of which, the engine is not exactly overpowering, but it does produce the meat of its muscle in the right places, helped no end by having nine ratios to play with. And here’s an interesting point: The way the engine is installed in the NPR – and despite the fact that you’re sitting pretty much right on top of it – there’s less noise and vibration from the 3.0-litre than in an Isuzu D-Max ute. Obviously, low vibrations and less noise are factors in staving off driver fatigue, and clearly Isuzu knows how to achieve this.

Ride quality will vary hugely depending on what’s on board. We tried the NPR with a full load of gear on the tray, taking it almost to its payload limit. At that point, the ride was actually quite compliant, and the only odd sensation is that of having your backside right over the front axle.

The other mantra held dear by fleet managers is that the best way to reduce breakdowns is to take the driver out of the equation as much as possible. That explains the dual-clutch transmission, for one, but it also perhaps explains why the NPR is set up to be actually very easy and simple to drive. It’s definitely scarier to look at than to pilot. And that turning circle is something else!

You can absolutely thank OH&S legislation for the huge leaps in active and passive safety that vehicles like the Isuzu have made in recent years.

Although this class of vehicle is not required to be crash tested (and, therefore, there’s no safety star rating available) even a scant knowledge of physics suggests that sitting the passengers up high in a vehicle with a strong chassis is a very good start when it comes to crash safety.

Passive safety is also helped by an airbag for both driver and the two front-seat passengers in the case of the three-seat variant we’ve looked at here. But only the outboard passengers get a three-point seat-belt, and the centre position gets a simple lap-belt.

There are also side intrusion bars in the doors as per passenger-car best practice and the overhead storage space features a safety net. There are no side-curtain airbags, but again, that high seating position makes the N Series inherently safer for passengers in a typical side impact.

But it gets better with a long list of driver aids, most of them straight out of the current passenger-car playbook. Running changes to the vehicle over the years have seen the addition of autonomous emergency braking (AEB), anti-skid brakes, stability control, a driver attention monitor, a distance warning system for vehicles in front, brake-force distribution and lane departure warning.

New safety tech this time around includes front cross-traffic alert and braking, mis-acceleration (pedal-error) mitigation, traffic and speed-sign recognition, a distance warning system that also advises of the speed of the car in front and improvements to the rear camera system.

And yet, there’s probably more work to be done here. We’d like to see a standard 360-degree camera and tyre pressure monitoring as well. These are both available at extra cost right now, but really should be standard on a vehicle like this. Rear cross-traffic alert is also missing, but that’s more about standardising the sensors and their calibration on a huge range of rear-body designs, apparently.

There’s also an apparent tech gap to be bridged, too, and right now only the dual-clutch-equipped version gets the speed limiter and adaptive cruise control, while the conventional manual does not.

Isuzu is also making a big noise about the new electronic park brake which can be used in an emergency to bring the vehicle to a complete, controlled stop if necessary.

The i7 xDrive60 M Sport is covered  by BMW's five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km.

There's no regular servicing schedule but the car will identify any faults and maintenance issues and notify you. A six-year unlimited service plan is offered by BMW and is included in the purchase price of the i7.

The i7 also comes with a five-year subscription to the charge for charging network, and a home wall box charger.

Despite the hard life many trucks are destined to live, Isuzu offers a standard six-year/250,000km warranty on the cabin and chassis of this model. The rear RTW body (whatever form that takes) is covered for three years. There’s also a three-year warranty on genuine accessories provided they were installed by a certified fitter.

Service intervals are every 25,000km, 12 months or 5000 hours of operation, whichever comes first. There’s also six years of roadside assistance thrown in.

Isuzu offers a range of service agreements ranging from the basic package right up to a plan that covers everything including wiper blade replacement.

There are currently 84 Isuzu dealers or authorised service outlets around the country, including some pretty far flung spots, so service and parts should be less of a problem than for some other brands.

Mechanically, Isuzu has worked to reduce servicing times, including the use of sealed-for-life wheel bearings.