[VIDEO] Up Close and Personal with the BMW X7 M60i LCI

Since its release, the BMW X7 has been one of the most undervalued Bimmers on the market, and it is now better than ever, thanks to the LCI makeover. A new face, new technology, and—if you choose the brand-new M60i variant—a brand-new engine all came with that LCI facelift. The outstanding BMW X5 is also available in smaller, less expensive, faster, sharper, and more efficient versions. Which should you purchase, then? Rory Reid and Alex Kersten test the BMW X7 M60i in this brand-new video from AutoTrader UK to see if larger is always better.

Alex Kersten and Rory Reid are both fans of the BMW X5, with Reid owning an X5 from the G05 generation and Kersten owning an E53 model. They both appreciate the X5’s spacious interior, smooth driving experience, and overall size. However, Reid seems to have a positive bias towards the new BMW X7, praising its driving dynamics, exterior design, and luxurious interior. On the other hand, Kersten appears to dislike the X7 on almost every level.

One of their problems with it is a BMW issue rather than an X7 problem. As long as you never have to adjust the climate while driving, the new iDrive 8 system is excellent. Reid puts Kersten to the test to see whether he can adjust the temperature on his side of the car and direct the air towards his feet while driving. He attempts to accomplish it, admittedly for the first time, and deviates from the path more than once. Will users eventually adjust to the climate controls on the iDrive 8? No doubt. Should it be this challenging? Obviously not. The touch-only climate controls are a complete pain to use while driving, and BMW has to change its mind about them.

The BMW X7 M60i, however, handles well and even wows Kersten. The X7 is much more maneuverable and entertaining to drive than any SUV of its size should be. It ends up being a perfect family car that’s also fun to drive because it has a ton of space. Finding a seven-seat SUV that drives as well as the X7 is actually challenging. With the third row in place, the trunk space is excruciatingly short, and it is also overly expensive and difficult. So, is bigger always better, or is an X5 the better option?