The i7 has been updated for 2026, and BMW now assembles its flagship electric luxury sedan locally. The i7 50 xDrive is priced at Rs 1.95 crore (ex-showroom), while its fully imported i7 M70 xDrive sibling comes in at Rs 2.65 crore. Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class range kicks off at Rs 2.2 crore. Before you decide to buy the BMW i7, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Reasons to buy the BMW i7
Plush ride and confident handling
The i7 deals well with bad roads while also being easier to drive despite its size
One of the BMW i7’s biggest strengths is its ride quality. The adaptive air suspension deals with rough roads and potholes without complaints, while the thicker sidewalls of the tyres wrapped around the 20-inch wheels add to the cushioning. The i7’s body movements are contained well enough to prevent the occupants from getting tossed about when driving over uneven surfaces. Switching to ‘Sport’ mode stiffens up the suspension for better body control without really hampering the ride quality.
Despite its 2.8-tonne kerb weight, the BMW i7 remains an easy luxury sedan to drive. Equipped with rear-axle steering that can turn the rear wheels by up to 3.5 degrees, the i7 ends up feeling smaller than its dimensions and mass would otherwise suggest. Aiding manoeuvrability further is the light steering. BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive (AWD) system provides plenty of traction, which helps this large luxury sedan track neatly through corners.
Lavish and tech-rich cabin
The updated i7 gets a redesigned dashboard and plenty of creature comforts
With the 2026 update, BMW has redesigned the dashboard, so there’s no conventional instrument cluster with the i7 anymore. Key information is now projected onto a wide head-up display along the bottom of the windscreen, appearing crisp and in the driver’s line of sight. Users can have details such as navigation, audio, speed and battery level displayed here – all of which can be customised.
Occupying a substantial portion of the dash are a 17.9-inch touchscreen and a front-passenger display. Apart from being heated and cooled, the four main seats of the BMW i7 can also offer massages. For maximum space and comfort, the rear-left occupant can electrically push the front-passenger seat all the way forward while also deploying an ottoman and a fold-down footrest. The i7’s doors can be opened or closed electrically as well.
Some of the other feature highlights here include the 31.3-inch 8K rear screen, a thumping 35-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system with Dolby Atmos, a multi-colour ambient lighting system, a four-zone climate-control system and more. The cabin of the BMW i7 is really well insulated too, as very little in the way of tyre, wind or traffic noise makes its way inside.
Rapid acceleration and impressive range
The i7 50 xDrive is quick for its size and offers a claimed range of over 700km
The BMW i7 in its 50 xDrive avatar pairs two electric motors for a total output of 483hp and 660Nm. This allows for a 0-100kph time of 5.5 seconds and 200kph comes up in under 19 seconds – plenty quick for a car this large and heavy. Most drivers would be fine leaving the drive mode in ‘Efficient’, owing to the abundance of torque on hand.
When driving around at normal speeds, the accelerator pedal feels smooth and predictable, with performance rising sharply beyond the pedal’s halfway point. The i7’s adaptive regen is well judged, while the one-pedal ‘B’ mode allows one to drive and stop the car using just the accelerator.
The 112.5kWh battery pack of the BMW i7 offers a claimed range of up to 728km on a full charge. The carmaker also claims a 10-80 percent DC fast-charging time of 28 minutes on a 250kW outlet, with a full charge on a 22kW AC system taking about 6 hours.
Reasons not to buy the BMW i7
Low ride height
The i7 needs to be driven carefully over speed breakers
The BMW i7’s standard ground clearance of 136mm can be lowered by 10mm in ‘Sport’ mode. This is low enough that you risk scraping the underbody even over modestly sized speed breakers. Even raising the luxury sedan by 20mm above its standard ride height doesn’t fully guarantee clearance over the worst of speed breakers.
Limited luggage room
The spare wheel eats into the i7’s boot space
The BMW i7’s spare wheel sits on the boot floor, which reduces the overall luggage capacity by a fair bit. This was an issue with the previous model as well.
Touchscreen and steering wheel gripes
A couple of areas in this cabin could have been better
While the large primary display has permanently stationed climate controls and a few other shortcut buttons, the interface is still not the easiest to use. Several functions are hidden a few layers deep, which can be confusing, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class’s system is easier to use. The steering wheel’s light shade could make it a challenge to keep spotless, while its octagonal design and vertical spokes may divide opinions.