Yahoo Finance 2016 BMW 750i Review
Traditionally, BMW’s flagship, the 7 Series, has been the sporty driver’s choice among ultraluxury sedans. For 2016 BMW has found the right balance of opulence, performance, comfort, and high-tech features—it will even massage your back.
With a serene ride, high-tech features that cater to every whim, thoughtful touches in a comfortable and beyond-impeccable cabin, and impenetrable interior silence, the new BMW 7 Series delivers a first-class travel experience.
After years of trailing the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the 7 Series has outscored the big Benz in our tests. With weight-saving carbon construction, the BMW is not only quick but also fuel efficient. It’s smart enough to steer itself, or brake on its own if you fail to. And its clamped-down, über-serious driving motif is better balanced with luxury and comfort.
Read our complete BMW 7 Series road test and check our reviews of the 2016 Honda Civic, 2016 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450, and 2016 Lincoln MKX.
The 2016 BMW 750i can still claim fast-lane dominance, but its plushness, newfound attention to detail, refinement, efficiency, and relative user-friendliness give it a clear edge. Simply put, it’s a better all-around car than the Mercedes.
Our loaded $110,645-as-tested 2016 BMW 750i xDrive had a smoother transmission, more intuitive controls, and substantially better fuel economy.
The gutsy V8 engine slings the 2016 BMW 750i to triple-digit speeds decisively but effortlessly. The engine’s velvet punch is augmented by the precision of the eight-speed automatic transmission, which imperceptibly executes each shift. And yet its 21 mpg fuel economy is on par with smaller V6-powered sedans. The lineup also includes a lower-priced, rear-wheel-drive 740i with a smaller engine.
A six-figure car should feel indomitable as it glides down the road, and the 2016 BMW 750i features a supremely steady ride—courtesy of the standard air suspension and a tomb-quiet interior. Even at high speeds or over undulating pavement, the BMW reassuringly keeps its composure.
However, the 2016 BMW 750i trails the S-Class in ultimate ride comfort, a crucial aspect in this class. Though the 7’s handling is secure and responsive, it’s not the sports sedan it used to be. In a bit of a role reversal, the S-Class is nimbler around corners.
What’s inside an ultraluxury car is just as important. The opulent-yet-modern interior integrates wood and leather, touches of aluminum, and a suede headliner. Front seats have the delightful articulation befitting a Cirque du Soleil acrobat. The sumptuous rear seat befits a dignitary—with massage, heated armrests, lumbar support, and controls for sun shades, climate, and audio. It may be the first BMW in which it’s more fun to be the passenger.
The iDrive infotainment system now has “gesture control”—allowing you to adjust volume, pause tracks, or take phone calls with an aerial sweep or poke of your finger. Though it may be a redundant gimmick, a new touch screen and useful windshield head-up display combine to make the daunting array of controls more manageable.
For all of those many reasons, the BMW 7 Series is the new leader of the luxury segment.
Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the May 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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