LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE
2016 BMW 7-series
The Ultimate Road-Trip Machine.
WHAT WE LIKE: Our staff has made a habit of griping that we didn’t order our long-term BMW 740i with adaptive cruise control. We normally wouldn’t include this under the heading “What We Like” except that, in the car’s logbook, this comment is always framed with the context that our 7-series is such a gifted long-distance runner. We love that long distances shrink and tired muscles actually relax when we’re behind the wheel. Online editor Alexander Stoklosa contributed one of the typical notes when he wrote, “This car is adaptive cruise control and a massaging driver’s seat away from road-trip perfection.”
We relish the quiet cabin, the comfortable front seats, the spacious accommodations in the rear, and that there’s a high-tech convenience feature for every need—save for adjusting our speed to traffic. The one defense of our $96,095 configuration came from associate online editor Joey Capparella on a drive from Michigan to Tennessee: “I never really missed adaptive cruise because the standard system is so good. It’s easy to adjust in both 1- and 5-mph increments and very smooth. I also was never bothered by the lane-keeping assist or forward-collision warning. They’re both unobtrusive but still helpful.”
Time has done nothing to blunt our enthusiasm for the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. “This six is still magic, and it’s a joy to have it work a bit harder in one of its heaviest applications,” senior editor Tony Quiroga noted. “I wouldn’t need any more power in a 7.” And even though we do work the engine hard, our average fuel economy has climbed from 26 to 27 mpg since the last update. We’re now exceeding the EPA combined rating by 3 mpg.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: In the words of features editor Jeff Sabatini: “God forbid it ever drive anywhere not on the freeway.” In our jobs we’re constantly swatting down marketing pitches in which automakers claim they’ve built a no-compromise, do-everything vehicle. This 7-series seems the exact antithesis of that (usually wishful) notion. It possesses a singular focus on luxurious comfort to the detriment of the handling.
“There’s a weird, nonlinear heft added to the steering in Sport mode and there is a good deal of float in the chassis on the highway in Comfort. I suppose I should just forget about having a sporty BMW,” wrote Quiroga.
Quiroga—in chorus with the majority of the staff—also dismissed the Gesture Control system that debuted with the 7-series. It allows the driver or front passenger to twirl a finger to raise or lower the volume, wave a hand to ignore an incoming phone call, or slide a pinched thumb and forefinger to rotate the view from the exterior cameras. “Gesture Control is the dumbest gimmick I can recall. How about a volume knob next to the iDrive controller instead?” He’s right. At best, Gesture Control adds another level of redundancy that we almost never use, except to show off to easily impressed friends and family members.
WHAT WENT WRONG: A freakishly large raccoon crossed the 740i’s path in October, and while the encounter ended much worse for the trash burglar than for our driver, we shelled out $486 to have the dealer replace a damaged fog-lamp cover and side grille. Also, the right-front tire suffered impact damage and developed a bubble in the sidewall, necessitating our second tire replacement to date. The new Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT cost us $373.
Our pseudo-sentient 7-series also requested dealer visits at 21,000 and 25,000 miles. While the latter stop was only supposed to be an inspection, the service department changed the oil anyway. Both visits were covered under BMW’s four-year, 50,000-mile no-charge maintenance scheme.
WHERE WE WENT: The 7-series is locked in a battle with our long-term diesel Range Rover Td6. Both sip frugally from large fuel tanks, delivering big range in addition to excellent comfort with plenty of luxury trappings. Since our last update, Capparella drove the BMW 520 miles to Nashville in a single shot. Stoklosa ran from Ann Arbor to Boston and logged more than 700 miles on one tank. Technology and mobility editor Pete Bigelow used the BMW to cover an assignment in Pittsburgh, and copy editor Jennifer Harrington used the 740i for a trip to Richmond, Virginia. Testing director Don Sherman returned to his Iowa alma mater to see the Hawkeyes defeat the Michigan Wolverines.
Months in Fleet: 8 months Current Mileage: 27,999 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 27 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 20.6 gal Fuel Range: 550 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Average Fuel Economy: 27 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 20.6 gal Fuel Range: 550 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $1360
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