Luxury Car of the Year 2023: BMW i7
The BMW i7 is the 2023 Auto Express Luxury Car of the Year, with the Bentley Flying Spur and Range Rover commended
We always await a new BMW 7 Series with huge anticipation, but in many new areas, the latest G70 edition exceeded our expectations – especially in all-electric i7 form.
The silence and smoothness of a fully electric powertrain are ideal qualities to instil in a luxury vehicle. However, BMW has not merely relied on them to deliver superb refinement, using them instead to raise comfort and refinement to a
level that we’ve rarely experienced in a new car.
The i7’s ride comfort is superb. Both the air suspension and the dampers are tuned to insulate the car’s occupants from the road surface below, and they do a remarkable job of smothering bumps and poor surfaces. Without a combustion engine, there’s no hum for road and wind noise to hide behind, but extensive soundproofing means that the only potential for disturbing the peace inside the i7 comes from the sublime Bowers and Wilkins sound system.
Energy is supplied to a pair of motors by a 101.7kWh battery, which is able to carry the i7 for up to 388 miles between charges, according to BMW’s claims. Find a charger capable of 195kW top-ups and the car’s battery can be replenished from 10-80 per cent in 34 minutes.
The divine cabin left us blown away – even before we reached the optional 31-inch, 8K TV that folds down from the roof behind the front seats. That aside, it’s got acres of space and, most importantly, a sense of occasion that few other luxury cars can rival. And feeling special really matters above all else in a car like this.
Our choice
BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport (£118,470)
M Sport badging may suggest some degree of sportiness, but the additions here are only cosmetic and don’t compromise the i7’s peerless comfort and refinement. The 537bhp xDrive60 powertrain offers the best blend of performance and range.
Commended
It shows the true strength of the luxury car category that the Bentley Flying Spur – a car that’s near flawless in its execution – still doesn’t take the overall win. Its ride, handling, performance, refinement, cabin quality and space are all exemplary.
Range Rover
Last year’s Luxury Car winner slips down to a Commended spot this year, but the Range Rover is still the finest example of a full-blown luxury 4x4 today. Everything from the looks to the cabin and the drive make it feel every bit worthy of its £100,000-plus price.
You’ll find all the information on our New Car Awards 2023 winners and the reasons why we chose them on these pages. Just follow the links below to read more…
New Car Awards 2023: the winners
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