BMW 7 Series review - Reliability and Safety

As should be expected in a car as advanced as the 7 Series, there is plenty of safety kit to keep you and those on-board safe as standard. 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.

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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.

BMW’s Service Inclusive is standard, and covers the car for all maintenance for five years or 50,000 miles - whichever comes first. Alternatively, buyers can opt out and receive a £350 price reduction on their car, but it’s almost certainly worth keeping.

It’s not possible to renew Service Inclusive once it expires. Beyond it, BMW offers a pay monthly system, which costs £30 per month for 36 months and covers two services.