BMW 7 Series (2015-2022) review - Reliability and safety

BMW has included an impressive level of driver assistance tech in the 7 Series, combined with a three-year, unlimited-mile warranty

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Reliability and Safety Rating

4.5 out of 5

Price
£104,230 to £142,740
Find your BMW 7 Series
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Advertisement

As should be expected in a car as advanced as the 7 Series, there is plenty of standard safety kit to keep you and those on-board as safe as possible. However, there are optional driver assistance technologies available. The Driving Assistant Professional package features lane change and departure warning, forward collision warning and builds on the standard parking assist feature by adding the option of remote controlled parking. Ticking this box unlocks all of the 7 Series’ advanced semi-autonomous driver assist features too.

Due to the 7’s limited production numbers, Euro NCAP is unlikely to crash test the biggest BMW saloon any time soon. Still, the smaller BMW 5 Series uses a similar platform and construction techniques, as well as the same electronic safety tech, and it earned a five-star rating from Euro NCAP.

Low sales volumes also mean the 7 Series hasn't appeared in the Driver Power ownership survey. However, owner feedback has contributed to BMW's overall manufacturer score, which has seen the maker finish in the mid to lower end of the table on a regular basis. High running costs are a regular bugbear, and likely to be compounded when driving a 7 Series. However, rivals Mercedes and Audi don't perform much better than BMW in these polls, and regularly finish behind the likes of Jaguar and Lexus.

Warranty

Like every BMW, the 7 Series gets a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty. Three years is basically the industry standard these days and while the unlimited mileage is a nice touch, it’s the least you’d expect from a car in this price bracket. 745e and 745Le models are supplied with a separate battery warranty.

Servicing

Service intervals are determined by the car's on-board computers, and thanks to the 7 Series' TeleServices module, the car can send vehicle-specific service data to help report vehicle-specific issues when you book your car in.

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    730d 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £69,510

Most Economical

  • Name
    750e xDrive Excellence 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £102,990

Fastest

  • Name
    M760Li xDrive 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £138,670

Most Popular

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates
Renault 5 EV concept at 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed
News

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates

Renault’s reborn Renault 5 will start from €25,000 in Europe, suggesting a circa-£30k price in the UK. It's due on sale in the summer of 2024. Here's …
1 Dec 2023
New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash
BMW Neue Klasse SUV exclusive image - front
News

New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash

BMW’s first Neue Klasse electric SUV could carry the iX3 nameplate and our exclusive images preview how it might look
30 Nov 2023
‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’
Opinion - Fiat Scudo
Opinion

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’

With some huge savings to be had, Mike Rutherford thinks a van could be the perfect vehicle
3 Dec 2023