Big is Beautiful – BMW X7 on a road trip

The first impression of the BMW X7 is its size. It is not small, in or out. It’s a genuine seven-seater with a robust physical presence. The second thing you notice is the comfort, the large seats – space abounds. The third thing you notice is the effortless luxury of endless leather, Alcantara and more.

The fourth thing you notice as you’re driving, there is no fuss. You seem to be going slow, you are not. Ride comfort means that it may seem to be drifting along, yet check the speedo. This is a fast vehicle. Careful use of driver assistance ensures you maintain the vehicle at the correct speed. Still, you know it is an Autobahn muncher at heart. That heart is a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine. It’s the biggest and most powerful in BMW’s range. It’s also coupled with 48-volt mild hybrid system to add more performance and efficiency to the mix. This high-performance power is part of an M TwinPower Turbo lineup and comes standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive.

Day 1

I’m taking the X7 on a road trip. I don’t require the third row of seats, so I push a button to fold them down, and I load up four days of photographic equipment, warm clothing and everything I need. Cameras, suitcases, bags, coats. I throw it all in, and the trunk still looks empty.

On the drive, I take the chance to explore the inside. The centre console features buttons galore, everything from ride height to traction control, and offers me a selection of drive modes, Eco, Pro, Comfort and Sport. On the click of a button, each becomes configurable on the centre screen. I find my preferred setting is on the ECO mode with the sport suspension and steering, Comfort for tricky traction, and I reserve Sport for overtaking.

Traffic is light, as I stop by Thames for lunch right outside the Coromandel distilling company, purveyors of Awildian, some of the world’s finest gin. You can read about that in the previous issue. I pop in to meet the team, a classic Kiwi operation, smiles and handshakes, making their precious liquid right there on full display.

The twistier roads are calling. I take the recently repaired State Highway 25A across the Kōpū–Hikuai range and on to Whangamata. The X7 navigates the twisty turns of this mountain road with ease on the sports setting. The road to Waihi Beach is a good handling test for any car I sail through, unaware of the 2675 KG of the car.

Arriving in Waihi Beach and checking into the accommodation, a distant memory of staying here with my kids sneaks into my head. I go scouting for photo spots, and I locate a true treasure at the end of the road: Bowentown. Commanding the inner and outer harbour with a marae and a hilltop park, it’s an ideal spot for photos.

Day 2

I’m expecting poor weather today, so I don’t hurry out of bed. Yet there’s no rain and very few clouds. I bundle out of my accommodation to find the nearest coffee. My trip south now takes me past Tauranga to Rotorua on SH36. I reach Hamurana and navigate the east coast of the lake. It’s the first time I’ve visited here since I ran the Rotorua marathon an unbelievable 11 years ago. My memory has failed when it comes to the flat parts. I remember the hills. In my memory, kilometre 27 seemed the steepest hill in the world; I thought I might have to stop. I’d taken the risk of wearing a shirt that declared me as a ‘Finisher of the 50th anniversary’ run – so integrity forced me to continue. Driving past the same place in the car, it seemed that the incline was more nominal than sheer, although all hills feel flat when you’ve got 750 Nm torque. After a brief but delicious meal at the Okere Falls Store, I carry on past the lake to the wonderful redwood forest for a planned photo stop.

The drive from Rotorua to Whakapapa is diverse. SH5 follows Lake Rotorua, then heads to Taupo, taking me past the airport, one I haven’t seen since I ran the Taupo half in 2014. That seems like a while ago. The weather was similar that day: blistering with rain. But today it doesn’t matter as I am in a luxurious ride.

At the lake, you join SH1 then turn off to the rugged SH47. You turn away from the lakes and the temperature drops as you climb. I hit 7 degrees at 800 metres above sea level and climb fast. It is becoming alpine and the trees become more stunted. I’m sure if I wasn’t driving in the clouds, I’d be able to see snow by now. I click over 900 metres. My plan is to drive to the top of the ski road and go as far as I can with the theory that the view would be excellent. The misty reality might, however, get in the way. But it’s a good road, and I’m going to drive it either way. An automated alert pops up stating that driving conditions are hazardous. This makes me smile; that’s why I’m in this vehicle.

Road signs tell me that the way is open, yet I can only see about 50 metres of it. As I pass 1100 metres coming into Whakapapa Township, the abandoned Chateau looks like a scene from ‘The Shining’. The Bruce Road is empty bar me. Breaking through 1300 metres above sea level, the tallest plant is a foot-high shrub. On a good day, you can see from here to Taranaki and the Tasman Sea. Today you can almost see the next corner.

At 1500 metres, it’s 3 degrees. At 1600 metres, I see the first snow. I’m going to hazard a guess that no one’s skiing today. Soon the road is closed, although I’ve got no doubt I’d be able to carry on. The potential view is amazing. The actual view is missing. A scattering of cars are outside the lodges and while a few rugged snowboarders ply their trade, today is a sauna day. In better weather, the Bruce Road makes a wonderful hill climb. I’d love to see such an event here. I’d bring an M4.

I turn around and start descending. The temperature keeps dropping, I’m informed by the car. But I wouldn’t know it in my heated cocoon. With many hours driving under my belt, I reach with more than a little glee to the seat massager so I’m ready to leap out when it’s time to check into the highest altitude hotel in the country.

Day 3

Sunrise is 6:51AM – a good time for photos. On the drive up to the top of the ski field, I see all the glory that I’d missed the day before. The Park Ranger warns me things were slippery as “all ####” – her words, not mine. I thank them for their service and proceed with caution.

At the top, I can access the base of the chair lift. On stepping out, I discover it’s impossible to walk on pure ice. I fall. Oops. Funny, the car had no problems. For my own safety, I locate gravel so I can stand. Photos follow as I skate around. I’m relieved to jump back in the X7 with seat and steering wheel heating. I turn off traction control and discover that it was doing the majority of the work that I credited to my skill. But when off it was very tricky. Stability back on and order is restored. Smatterings of snow adorn the road, the regular grading makes it navigable. Stunning spots come into view as the temperature settles at zero degrees, no concerns or complaints from the car. Germany knows cold winters.

After great photo opportunities and 4×4 fun, it’s time to leave the ski field and head North. During a journey I drop into small towns. It’s always worth it for genuine feedback from genuine people, and a genuine pie. Tony in Otarahanga likes my ride. He might have a ute today, but suggests an X7 might be next on the list. Les in Pirongia said the X7 looks ‘pretty good’. “What made this one special?” he asks. I told him the 4.4 litre twin turbo and 530HP power made it pretty special. He agrees. “More than my Falcon” he notes.

Now the BMW X7 is excellent in just about all regards. However, in white out conditions, even with fog lamps for safety, I have to accept that photography might be challenging. Acceptance is the better part of valour. So I set the controls for a drive north to better weather.

Day 4

The final challenge is four-wheel-drive credibility. My favorite spot for this is Muriwai Beach. At least 20 rugged looking off-road vehicles clustered around the beach access, making plans. I flew past them in the largest, most expensive and luxurious ride on the sand, keeping my foot planted over the softer tops of the dunes.

Comfort mode lets the vehicle make all the decisions. I head down to the hard packed sand at the water’s edge and turn north. It was a stunning day, rain and wind swept in the distance, and with sun overhead, making for a perfect view in either direction.

I progress in near silence, everything is so smooth it is hard to tell you’re doing a reasonable pace. Just a low purr reminds you there’s an engine in there. About 30 Km up the beach, turn right to the access road, go through Woodhill forest, around the lakes, before you get to the exit track. Nothing presents a problem. There is no fuss.

Everywhere you look, there’s something to impress, from the triple sunroof and the adjustable all-leather seats to the five-zone air conditioning and endless USB connections. And that’s just what you can see. Then there’s the soundtrack: pops and crackles on the overrun, the delicious roar of that engine muted through layers of sound deadening material, and the Harman Kardon sound system. Of course, everything out of view sports the same high attention to detail. This is a sophisticated and complex vehicle where everything you need to do is very intuitive, however, there’s so much capability because, as a rule, BMW tends to under-promise and over-deliver.

So what we have here is a veritable limousine with plush leather seats that will launch from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, yet it’s also a capable four-wheel drive that impresses in town, the country, and on the ski field. This seven-seat, seven-series SUV makes travelling effortless, with exceptional driving dynamics and a ride quality that simply smooths out roads, ruts, and ice. While there are masses of space, bonnet, and wheel, BMW has managed to craft a vehicle that doesn’t look overwhelming. In the end, the BMW X7 is the rare vehicle that can take you from ice roads to the High Street, from the school run to the opera, and never once feel out of place.