I keep saying it: the lack of physical controls isn't just annoying, it's outright dangerous. For good reason there are laws banning the use of cellphones while driving. And yet, modern car interiors are becoming one giant touchscreen. This won't end well.
It's gearing up for self driving. It's premature to do it before it's ready, but the engineering philosophy is less buttons = more adaptability to change in software = future proofing. That said, I like buttons.
You guys are some of the most honest and refreshing car reviewers. Many, many others are not actually reviewing anything, they merely demonstrate and show new vehicles, but never have anything negative to say and never give their actual opinions or feedback. It's frustrating and once you've seen one, you've seen them all. You guys however are the uncommon amongst the uncommon. So please, keep telling us when something sucks.
These days I feel like most channels forget what a ‘review’ is, they merely read out the buyers brochure and leave out any negatives and real world issues. SavageGeese are the only channel I watch for a genuine review.
Agreed 100%. SavageGeese do proper reviews; I especially appreciate how they go into detail about things you would want to know before buying a vehicle. Like the infotainment being hard to control, and how alot of the heating/cooling mechanisms are basically pointless. I also like the fact that they go into detail regarding the sound system quality
Most "reviewers" at large are just demo sluts and paid affiliate shills; they're not going to criticize the product because they contractually can't. Best to ignore like 99% of them.
Mark and Jack are without a doubt the best in the biz. Heck, they got me through Covid, I’ve watched every single video they’ve launched in the last 3+ years. It’s amazing content and they’re good dudes too!
WOW....this is the most honest and accurate review I've seen on the X7. Our family owns a 2021 X7 M50i and it's a love hate relationship based on EVERY item you mentioned. I've not seen a more accurate review of the M50i vs M60i. We will not be trading into an M60i mostly because of the HVAC interface; UGLY front fascia design; Cow nipple controls for the vents; etc. Thank you again for the most accurate and honest review of this land yacht on the net.
@@gluedmynuts we ended up trading ours in for a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve model. After six months we are quite happy with that decision.
When my dad was a kid, he said the scrap yards were full of luxury vehicles because no one could afford to keep them working, seems nothing has changed, the rich still buy disposable vehicles full of toys.
I think it also goes more hand-in-hand with the nature of how these kinds of people buy cars as well, if they really liked the cars they would keep them.. They just choose to move on to the next, better thing.
@@dinosoarskill17 everything is built with planned obsolescence in mind. Just like appliances. 5-7 years and it's more expensive to repair than replace.
@@smokesgtp Yea it's pretty unfortunate. I have an F80 BMW and as much as I'd like to keep it forever, there will probably be something that I inevitably can't reasonably fix and will have to get rid of it. Till then, though I will enjoy someones second hand toy. (=
Depends on the brand I think. A Lexus outlasts most luxury brands because they need less maintenance. I bought my LS'es from the scrapyard and fixed them in my home workshop.
As others have mentioned. this is the only auto channel where the negatives - what is wrong with is model? - are discussed. Kudos for that. Please keep it that way.
@@c3vzn Lol what? None of those channels discuss ANY of the negatives and daily usability downsides this channel does. Not even 0.1%. Did you even watch the interior part of this video...? Its not even close to comparable in the slightest. Those channels do advertisements, not reviews.
This car has a GVWR over 6,000 lbs. Qualifies for accelerated depreciation and other tax benefits. So for owners of certain businesses, the tax benefits will exceed the payments. So the government will pay certain people to own this vehicle. Got to love the tax code.🤑💰
I recently found out there are a fair number of Wealthy dealership owners that are members of congress so I'm really not surprised by this unfortunately
The 2020 X7M50i is the GOAT of the X7 line up for many reasons. It is the last pure V8TT ICE engine and that is significant. This 523hp M50i engine is rock solid and very tunable to stupid amounts of additional hp. It also was the last of a truly fully optioned vehicle like top tier options night vision, ionized and ambient air, Rear Seat Entertainment, etc….. Then there was all the upscale build options like a full alcantara roof and alcantara roof sunshade, alcantara parcel shelf, etc… Trim in the 3rd row was just as upscale as the front. 2nd row doors had puddle lights and keyless entry. This was the vehicle BMW spared no expense in offering and was on another level. After 2020 it was a down hill fall with dropping major and minor options and cheaper build materials in the switches and exterior. The 2023 LCI is still suffering for lack of premium options and lower quality build materials and this extends to the XB7 ALPINA as well. I own a truly fully optioned 2020 BMW X7M50i that took BMW 7 months to build and this was in the best of times pre Covid. Just shy of $130k and worth every penny as it has been rock solid reliable as well as quiet as a casket with no rattles or squeaks over any road surface. It was extremely rare then and now it is a white elephant to the point I believe BMW may never build a luxurious vehicle to this level. BMW has changed their “flagship vehicle” priorities from top build quality, V8 rumble, luxurious ride and opulence to this new LCI bizarre Asian design/styling and distracting tech that is cheaper to manufacture than a quality buttons or switches. That luxurious tactile feel of a switch or quality button push is gone now. The new “S” ICE engine is now bastardized with a electric motor in the transmission that will brick the vehicle with any simple fault code giving you the common “Drivetrain Malfunction” message new frustrated owners are starting to experience. All in the name for future emission standards. It’s “S” designation means nothing and is a mass production engine no more special but a marketing spin to only make one engine platform for all vehicles. 😮. It appears BMW is embracing and riding out the “supply chain” excuses to produce lesser quality vehicles and hoping their core customers don’t notice.😢
MAN, epic post, and very TELLING as you said, even 3 or 4 fukkin years later BMW won't even build an X7 that good again and I know why I bet, the first two years they needed to pimp them so they made them amazing then just said make 'em suck like the rest. And BTW I have a 2007 BMW X3 that I love, my fave era of BMW.
Speaking of most functions being delegated to the screen, my cousin just bought her VW ID4. Hopped in it for the first time on our way to dinner last weekend. I never had a car that drove me nuts when it came to trying to access basic functions. You tap/hold the on the HVAC symbols on the screen and nothing happens (we were cold). I'm 30, even worked at a big branch cellular store 4yrs ago... so i'm no boomer. Anyways pretty sure she figured it out by now, but WOW lol....
Leave your HVAC on auto and set a temperature that you are comfortable with. The car will go to that setpoint quicker than if you tried to do it manually. Don't set it to a low temperature if you are hot or a hot temperature if you are cold, set it to your comfortable temperature and never touch it again.
@@zoppp621 that's what I thought until I owned cars with automatic climate - that strategy doesn't work with winter weather. You're wearing a coat so 22 degrees Celcius (72 F) is WAY too warm, but you can't turn it down because at 18 C (64 F) it's at the minimum and turns AC on! Also, you want to turn on defog mode, but pressing that button turns off the floor heaters, so you have to punch mode a bunch of times while watching the screen to adjust it to defog and floor. Plus, when it says "auto", that can mean auto fan or auto temp, and many systems don't tell you which or give you independent control. I find I spend way more time trying to figure out how to get it to do what I want than my older cars with manual climate, which I could set without looking.
@@questioner1596 sometimes they turn the AC on not to cool the interior, but to dehumidify/defog the interior. So in the event that it's winter, you just change your temperature setpoint to what is comfortable and the car will achieve it as fast as possible, even if it means kicking the AC on. The idea is to abstract the complication of controlling vents, flow and AC vs heater core flow and just present what the operator wants which is a temperature setpoint. Tesla has done a pretty good job of presenting only what's needed to the user unlike the ID4 and makes it easy to access other modes if absolutely needed. But I don't really find my self ever touching my temp setpoint.
The next time you talk to the engineers, can you try and uncover the real reasons why buttons are disappearing? I don’t think an engineer can truly say this set up is better from a usability/ergonomics standpoint. Who in the board room is making these decisions and is there any internal conflicts within BMW/other manufacturers.
Two things they wanted to declutter, it was a common user complaint. Their infotainment data logs and uploads usage to their cloud infrastruture. They chose what to remove based on usage. They know what people use and dont use. Then they axed certain physical controls based on that. Then left certain buttons like defrost and hazard because of regulation.
Removing physical controls also makes manufacturing easier. Less knobs buttons and switches reduces the number of assembly operations and reduces potential points of failure or quality issues like squeaks and rattles which reduces the time the vehicle takes to build and pass quality inspection. It's effectively a sophisticated way of cutting costs for higher margins.
It’s a design cop-out (all screens = no physical UI/UX to design, manufacture and assemble). It’s cheap, it’s easy and increases profit margins, but I would be astonished if any industry insider ever admitted it on camera.
The fact that they said that too many physical buttons are overwhelming for customers is absolutely insane and complete bullshit. If they just blatantly said we removed the buttons because we want you to replace the screen i would of at least accepted it.
The reason the exhaust sound is so different is because the new S68 is based of the S63 found in the M5,M8, X5M etc. This engine uses a cross flow exhaust manifolds where both banks share a turbo. This gives you that more exotic V8 sound. The N63 exhaust manifolds are not crossing. Each bank has its own turbo. This gives you that traditional V8 rumble.
The Type S is a good vehicle it just depends on what you want. It is definitely the better car to own in the long term, but it is not in the same league in driving dynamics and speed. However, it is a lot less expensive so it is a great value in my opinion. The sound system in the type s however is one of the top 3 systems I have ever heard in a car. (Very good)
Touchscreen climate controls are such a dealbreaker for me. I so greatly appreciate how you guys ALWAYS include seemingly random flipping through these new interfaces to demonstrate lag, misinput frequency, and that aggravating tearing effect when scrolling. It also helps to show what features the OEMs are moving into the infotainment (headlights, GM? Really?)
So I can get a fully maxed out Mazda CX-90, and a fully maxed out Mx5 Club for the weekends and NOT get mistaken for a Kia Hyundai SUV? Thanks BMW for making this an easy choice 🤞🤟
@@kristians2704 Kristians, if you like an ugly front end, user-unfriendly controls, and high cost of repair and ownership, then I suppose the X7 is a good choice. I however, will choose something else.
@@OldRustySteele how are these user unfriendly controls when bmw (along with genesis) is one of the very few brands who use both a touchscreen and a dial to control the screen. The performance, luxury, interior quality, technology is unmatched from any Japanese brand.
I have had one now for 4+ months now. The HVAC controls are definitely the worst part, especially coming out of a 2019 X5. Mixed on the front end but it has a ton of presence, and I weirdly get a lot of unexpected compliments. What sold me on it though is that this thing is a howitzer on wheels, especially in Sport Plus mode.
I liked the longer interior section. I know you went over it because you have the same car to compare but in general is was very informative and you guys should do it for more cars
The problem is, as much as us hard core fans love what Savagegeese does, lot of people sadly don't care. They wanna hear about the latest gimmick to impress their friends with the dumbest screens. I know that's boomer energy (I'm 30), and I hope savagegees don't change to follow those stupid trends, but there's a reason it's hard for them to reach 1M subs as much as I wish it for them - they don't jump on stupid ass trends.
All of these vehicles are great for pilfering parts after they get discarded. Seats frames, engine block and heads, brakes and rotors, sun visors, center console structure between the seats, electric cooling fans. Everything else is either a tossable computer part or a soon to be LKQ inventoried SKU.
The physical controls in my x3m is amazing. I love the buttons on the last gen. The new gen would frustrate me quickly because I’d have to interact with the screen for pretty much everything. Wish they left the programmable buttons alone.
@@ARentz07 Same, those programmable buttons are a huge value add. Easy to use, efficient, won't break ever. I don't think I"ll buy a BMW without it frankly
I miss some of the physical buttons. I agree, I really loved having 8 shortcut keys that could be for vehicle functions and not just the radio. However, the i8 system does still give you 4 short-cut keys. If you swipe down from the main menu, you should see 4 configurable shortcut keys. It wasn't intuitive, but to populate those shortcuts, you have to surf through the menus and just long-press whatever menu item you want to add to the shortcuts. Then to remove a shortcut, you drag down the short cut menu and long press on the option you want to remove. It's a little clunky, but it's still there.
You guys are the only car reviewers I can trust since you're not afraid to tell the truth for what it is. Please keep telling us what the cars are actually like, and don't sell out like so many car reviewers have done
Shortcuts are still available with iDrive 8. Select your shortcut, and access it by swiping down. Each shortcut is labeled, rather than requiring you to remember which radio button to press.
Mark, I looked all over for the X7 'DB' edition, you were right, all V8s! Thank you, your video helped me narrow down all of the trim options so I could focus on the one that fits me the best. 🤔
Good video guys. I'm team BMW but I must say, the prices and the complexity are just too much. The Germans are just showing off now. Maybe because the gasoline era is winding down and this is there last dance, they are doubling down before the lights get turned back up. Imagine the maintenance costs of this thing out of warranty. It's insane.
Mainstream cars are so good luxury brands really have to out of their minds to justify the higher asking prices. This is why I'm excited about the CX-90. You get luxury grade high performance hardware without the cost and complexity.
pretty much every car manufacturer is making their cars more complex and/or luxurious. they've figured out that they can make more money on each car that way.
Hey, smart ass: I'm German and i must remind you, that all bigger BMW SUVs/SAVs are built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. If this is "the last dance for BMW" at the end of the ICE era, it will be the last dance for a lot of American employees. Your snobbish dummy opinion just sucks, dude! What about this: The BY FAR best luxury EV on the market today is the BMW i7! Just inform yourself about this! Compared to such a perfect luxury vehicle, Tesla vehicles are are like stupid trash and cheap piece of horseshit. BMW build quality/ technology and luxury is on another level compared to a lot of other companies. Maybe for some "cheaper" competitors there will be a last ICE dance soon, but not for BMW. The i7 gives a unique and a perfect driving experience in total silence in perfect quality, better than Rolls Royce for 400.000 Dollars today. BMW certainly won't have "a last dance" soon... Maybe shitty Tesla has. Idiot!
I feel the 2 generations ago iDrive system designed primarily for a knob (but still perfectly usable with the touchscreen) was one of the best infotainments ever made, in terms of usability, functionality and performance (and the design looked nice enough too). The hard memory buttons with touch to preview is my favourite infotainment feature of any car.
@japanwatchconnection the one I experienced had carplay as a subscription :) I honestly never missed it though, the base system was actually just good enough
I got the x7 x40i 2021 version. You are absolutely right. I wish I had the V8 lol. But aside from that, my experience with the x7 has been absolutely superb. It took BMW a long time to come out with a GLS killer, but the driving experience really shows.
Jack talks about this engine being for emissions and compliance like it's some 1.2 liter 3 cylinder 🤣 its a 500hp twin turbo 4.4L V8 lol lets just be happy it still exists
I honestly don’t mind the exterior. What they did doesn’t fit the new 7 series at all but it looks alright on the X7. It’s the lack of physical controls on the interior that bothers me.
Currently in a '23 X7 40i loaner while my pre-LCI XB7 is in the shop. I can say with certainty that iDrive 8 is a HUGE step backwards. Things that were once intuitive to use are now wrought with frustration.
*IDEA* for a special video topic: Put the ballooniest tire format allowed on a bread-and-butter vehicle focused on comfort not sporty driving performance and examine how much smoother/quieter the ride is and the overall difference in driving feel and whether the trend towards bigger wheels and thinner tires is madness. You could even do a bonus round and try to race a car with such tire format and examine how much driving quality is really lost.
@@Onewheelordeal Funny, because there's that claim that brief full throttle to target speed could be a more efficient operation for the engine than creeping up to it with minimal throttle. But it's inconclusive AFAIK, with many variables involved. Regarding the sidewall it would be relevant to examine driving safety, kind of a limited field within driving performance, and how often/much that is relevant, especially compared to the obsession with energy saver tires that inherently have worse safety performance.
@Dowlphwin the ice engine is most efficient at high load low rpm, that may be true in a manual when you can shift early but if you're in a car where the auto trans will just downshift as low as possible and rev as high as it can get to, you will definitely not be getting better mpg than just trying to keep the rpms as low as possible (not accelerating comically slow either)
Nice review, this S68 engine is interesting but so glad I picked up a CPO 2019 X7 with the V8 fully loaded last year. I got the physical buttons and rear seat entertainment, which with kids is great on long trips. X7 is a solid three row that will serve my family well, I am happy with the purchase but uncertain how long I will keep it after the CPO warranty expires…
BMW used to be all about driving. Everything on the car was simple, easy, functional and didn't have anything you did not need to drive. It was quintessential German. Function then form. There is one company you can get a real BMW from. Mazda.
Mazda isn't all about driving anymore either. They're going luxury which means thier cars are only going to get more numb. Hell the Mazda 3 turbo is proof they are going in bmw direction
Great video as usual guys. In 2020 I wanted to get a 3 row suv and I asked what your opinion was and your answer if I remember clearly was if I had to have a 3 row. It turns out I don’t. I have 2 boys and in may of 2020 I chose a 2020 X5. It’s been my best car purchase so far. I love it. The B58 with the zf trans is amazing. If you want a bmw x vehicle and you do not need a three row or the wow factor of a v8, get an X5 with a B58 inline 6. It’s worth it guys.
Great as always. You are 1 out of 4 of my go to guys for cars. You guys think about cars and evaluate them like I do. I have had 12 BMW X5's, my wife is on 2nd X7 ( refresh), I have had 2 Cayenne S and many M3/4 sense 2002. I agree with everything you said on new X7 vs 2020 X7. I am about to pull string on either refresh X5 M60i or Cayenne S with the V8, I would love your guys thoughts?? Thanks
2:00 "they've cleaned it up because they said a lot of customers were kind of overwhelmed with buttons, knobs, and switches" Well that's kinda unfortunate, but I'm not the target customer of this car so why should I care I guess
To anyone thinking about getting one, Lease it if you can afford and only Finance if it's for business expense tax write off purposes (bonus depreciation on taxes in the U.S. which you can't do if you lease). The depreciation in the next 4-5 years will be insane.
This is the best car review channel .. these guys knows how to push the cars to the limits. I have x5 2020. The ventilated seats works better than on my Lexus. However, they are not cooled like Ford seats. I wish they were. The massaged seats on x5 are really aggressive. Wonder what changed on x7? I only wish they did headlight demonstration at nighttime. Good comparison to Kia product.. they seemed to look the same 😂
Brutally honest review! Love the X7 and it drives extremely well. I’d only get one with the bench seat in the second row. The captains chairs are silly.
Man, they have to do something about that "new" infotainment. I get it that this is business and they need to make money everywhere so they decided to put everything on the screen instead of having physical buttons that cost them money. I tried it during the test drives a couple of times and it is horrendous to operate. It is even dangerous since you have to shuffle through all those menus, while driving to setup up even the most basic things that used to take a second to do before. It is really, really bad and a huge turnoff for me. I will stick to older models because of that or switch to competition like Genesis
Bought the X7 40i M sport package plenty quick. You get used to the screen. The front end, tech, and the hybrid system is why you buy the new one. It stands out plus I wrapped the pillars and roof like a range rover white body black roof and pillars. So far everything works fine, no problems.
Can you use voice assistant for everything instead of display? I seems like they are trying to get us to use voice more, in order make it cleaner an make more profits from making less breakable buttons. It actually makes sense.
You've always said that the heated/cooled cup holders 'don't work'. But they work perfectly fine in my X5... drinks get cooled within minutes and stay warm/hot for a long time
Great video guys - I had a 21' x7 M50i which was completely loaded and even included a Carbon upgrade that pushed it to 623 hp and 712 torque until a teenager pulled out in front of me and it was totalled. Trying to decide do I go back and get a 21' again or move up to a 23 or 24. Avoiding 22's since it's super hard to find one with DSC. BTW - you are so right about the depreciation on these - I took a massive hit with the insurance company despite having every upgrade in mine except for the tow hitch. Thanks for the insights on the 23'.
You found the heated and cooled cup holders to be useful in your X5 M50i review… must have had a change of heart since then. I have an X7 and use them frequently and find them very useful and effective.
As an owner of an M240i with iDrive 8, I will say adjusting the climate becomes a non-issue. Just set it and forget it. BMW's intelligent auto climate does the rest for you. Auto heated steering wheel, auto heated seats.. it works pretty well IMO. I do miss the preset buttons :(
HVAC ventilation controls is a BIG L. It's like the designers didn't even prototype the car before creating it or even do any usability on the main controls to see if it was worth doing. Absolutely nobody wants to go into a screen to update temperature controls and it gets worse while you're driving. Huge FAIL. I actually do like the exterior design though, but I do love the huge grill haha.
We are dealing with the generation that feels too overwhelmed ordering a burger from a person that they’d rather spend five minutes at a screen doing it themselves.
I keep saying it: the lack of physical controls isn't just annoying, it's outright dangerous. For good reason there are laws banning the use of cellphones while driving. And yet, modern car interiors are becoming one giant touchscreen. This won't end well.
Great point ☝️
Just like teslas?
They will do what Apple does. We are introducing physical buttons
You can thank Tesla for this trend
It's gearing up for self driving. It's premature to do it before it's ready, but the engineering philosophy is less buttons = more adaptability to change in software = future proofing. That said, I like buttons.
You guys are some of the most honest and refreshing car reviewers. Many, many others are not actually reviewing anything, they merely demonstrate and show new vehicles, but never have anything negative to say and never give their actual opinions or feedback. It's frustrating and once you've seen one, you've seen them all.
You guys however are the uncommon amongst the uncommon. So please, keep telling us when something sucks.
These days I feel like most channels forget what a ‘review’ is, they merely read out the buyers brochure and leave out any negatives and real world issues.
SavageGeese are the only channel I watch for a genuine review.
Agreed 100%. SavageGeese do proper reviews; I especially appreciate how they go into detail about things you would want to know before buying a vehicle. Like the infotainment being hard to control, and how alot of the heating/cooling mechanisms are basically pointless. I also like the fact that they go into detail regarding the sound system quality
Most "reviewers" at large are just demo sluts and paid affiliate shills; they're not going to criticize the product because they contractually can't. Best to ignore like 99% of them.
100%... Nobody "reviews" anymore. They just "demonstrate".
Mark and Jack are without a doubt the best in the biz. Heck, they got me through Covid, I’ve watched every single video they’ve launched in the last 3+ years. It’s amazing content and they’re good dudes too!
WOW....this is the most honest and accurate review I've seen on the X7. Our family owns a 2021 X7 M50i and it's a love hate relationship based on EVERY item you mentioned. I've not seen a more accurate review of the M50i vs M60i. We will not be trading into an M60i mostly because of the HVAC interface; UGLY front fascia design; Cow nipple controls for the vents; etc. Thank you again for the most accurate and honest review of this land yacht on the net.
I agree. I also will not trade for it because I can't afford it
It is quite far from honest and accurate, they are whining about shortcuts, but they are there. Someone should at least look into manual.
The old gauge cluster is prettier, and yeah wtf Bmw why do they do hvac delete🤔
Yes, the front is really ugly. I bet BMW didn't pay the designer good enough.
@@gluedmynuts we ended up trading ours in for a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve model. After six months we are quite happy with that decision.
When my dad was a kid, he said the scrap yards were full of luxury vehicles because no one could afford to keep them working, seems nothing has changed, the rich still buy disposable vehicles full of toys.
I think it also goes more hand-in-hand with the nature of how these kinds of people buy cars as well, if they really liked the cars they would keep them.. They just choose to move on to the next, better thing.
As opposed to what other options? Every expensive vehicle nowadays has dogshit screen-oriented HVAC, and fucking iPad in the center console.
@@dinosoarskill17 everything is built with planned obsolescence in mind. Just like appliances. 5-7 years and it's more expensive to repair than replace.
@@smokesgtp Yea it's pretty unfortunate. I have an F80 BMW and as much as I'd like to keep it forever, there will probably be something that I inevitably can't reasonably fix and will have to get rid of it. Till then, though I will enjoy someones second hand toy. (=
Depends on the brand I think. A Lexus outlasts most luxury brands because they need less maintenance. I bought my LS'es from the scrapyard and fixed them in my home workshop.
As others have mentioned. this is the only auto channel where the negatives - what is wrong with is model? - are discussed. Kudos for that. Please keep it that way.
The Car Care Nut also goes into the negatives
That’s a lie lol. Nearly every big car channel has a section for negatives: Carwow, Doug, Throttle House, TheSmokingTire to name a few.
@@c3vzn Lol what? None of those channels discuss ANY of the negatives and daily usability downsides this channel does. Not even 0.1%. Did you even watch the interior part of this video...? Its not even close to comparable in the slightest.
Those channels do advertisements, not reviews.
Great way to start my morning on the throne
I am also on the shit box
Is it weird to say me too?
@@CristianHernandez-xh7bz yes lol
Shit while watching a video about a piece of shit.
This car has a GVWR over 6,000 lbs. Qualifies for accelerated depreciation and other tax benefits. So for owners of certain businesses, the tax benefits will exceed the payments.
So the government will pay certain people to own this vehicle. Got to love the tax code.🤑💰
Bingo
Ching ching
I recently found out there are a fair number of Wealthy dealership owners that are members of congress so I'm really not surprised by this unfortunately
@@twotrackjack2260 sauce?
- 'accelerated depreciation' over a cliff along with resale value.
The 2020 X7M50i is the GOAT of the X7 line up for many reasons. It is the last pure V8TT ICE engine and that is significant. This 523hp M50i engine is rock solid and very tunable to stupid amounts of additional hp.
It also was the last of a truly fully optioned vehicle like top tier options night vision, ionized and ambient air, Rear Seat Entertainment, etc….. Then there was all the upscale build options like a full alcantara roof and alcantara roof sunshade, alcantara parcel shelf, etc… Trim in the 3rd row was just as upscale as the front. 2nd row doors had puddle lights and keyless entry. This was the vehicle BMW spared no expense in offering and was on another level. After 2020 it was a down hill fall with dropping major and minor options and cheaper build materials in the switches and exterior. The 2023 LCI is still suffering for lack of premium options and lower quality build materials and this extends to the XB7 ALPINA as well. I own a truly fully optioned 2020 BMW X7M50i that took BMW 7 months to build and this was in the best of times pre Covid. Just shy of $130k and worth every penny as it has been rock solid reliable as well as quiet as a casket with no rattles or squeaks over any road surface. It was extremely rare then and now it is a white elephant to the point I believe BMW may never build a luxurious vehicle to this level. BMW has changed their “flagship vehicle” priorities from top build quality, V8 rumble, luxurious ride and opulence to this new LCI bizarre Asian design/styling and distracting tech that is cheaper to manufacture than a quality buttons or switches. That luxurious tactile feel of a switch or quality button push is gone now. The new “S” ICE engine is now bastardized with a electric motor in the transmission that will brick the vehicle with any simple fault code giving you the common “Drivetrain Malfunction” message new frustrated owners are starting to experience. All in the name for future emission standards. It’s “S” designation means nothing and is a mass production engine no more special but a marketing spin to only make one engine platform for all vehicles. 😮. It appears BMW is embracing and riding out the “supply chain” excuses to produce lesser quality vehicles and hoping their core customers don’t notice.😢
MAN, epic post, and very TELLING as you said, even 3 or 4 fukkin years later BMW won't even build an X7 that good again and I know why I bet, the first two years they needed to pimp them so they made them amazing then just said make 'em suck like the rest.
And BTW I have a 2007 BMW X3 that I love, my fave era of BMW.
"It is the last pure V8TT ICE engine and that is significant." (that's 2021 not 2020 I believe)
The front headlights on top look like Hyundai and on the bottom look like GMC truck headlights
"What design direction should we go in?"
"Yes."
Love it when there’s no oversight for the design department 😂
BME and Mercedes design os getting worse by the day...only BMW vehicle that still looks cool is the M2...IMHO
@Syncopia "doesn't matter, as long each of you runs in a completely different one"
the worst aspects about modern bmw as a brand in one package, fantastic
Speaking of most functions being delegated to the screen, my cousin just bought her VW ID4. Hopped in it for the first time on our way to dinner last weekend. I never had a car that drove me nuts when it came to trying to access basic functions. You tap/hold the on the HVAC symbols on the screen and nothing happens (we were cold). I'm 30, even worked at a big branch cellular store 4yrs ago... so i'm no boomer. Anyways pretty sure she figured it out by now, but WOW lol....
Leave your HVAC on auto and set a temperature that you are comfortable with. The car will go to that setpoint quicker than if you tried to do it manually. Don't set it to a low temperature if you are hot or a hot temperature if you are cold, set it to your comfortable temperature and never touch it again.
@@zoppp621 that's what I thought until I owned cars with automatic climate - that strategy doesn't work with winter weather. You're wearing a coat so 22 degrees Celcius (72 F) is WAY too warm, but you can't turn it down because at 18 C (64 F) it's at the minimum and turns AC on! Also, you want to turn on defog mode, but pressing that button turns off the floor heaters, so you have to punch mode a bunch of times while watching the screen to adjust it to defog and floor. Plus, when it says "auto", that can mean auto fan or auto temp, and many systems don't tell you which or give you independent control. I find I spend way more time trying to figure out how to get it to do what I want than my older cars with manual climate, which I could set without looking.
That UI is trash, clearly designed by someone who never drove a car before.
@savagegeese well they quickly backpedalled and will be bringing buttons again!
@@questioner1596 sometimes they turn the AC on not to cool the interior, but to dehumidify/defog the interior. So in the event that it's winter, you just change your temperature setpoint to what is comfortable and the car will achieve it as fast as possible, even if it means kicking the AC on. The idea is to abstract the complication of controlling vents, flow and AC vs heater core flow and just present what the operator wants which is a temperature setpoint. Tesla has done a pretty good job of presenting only what's needed to the user unlike the ID4 and makes it easy to access other modes if absolutely needed. But I don't really find my self ever touching my temp setpoint.
Honesty is a quality that always sells..thats the only reason ,I trust what you says.
Thank you from Europe.
WOW! They could NOT decide on a design concept for the front 😂
People loved our new grills. Wait till they see our new headlights!!
At least it's not as ugly as the M4.
Wait til you see the 7 series sedan ..
The AI that designed it trusted the Google image search results that included the Hyundai Santa Fe
A little bit of genesis as well
You guys are one of the only trustworthy auto channels
The next time you talk to the engineers, can you try and uncover the real reasons why buttons are disappearing? I don’t think an engineer can truly say this set up is better from a usability/ergonomics standpoint. Who in the board room is making these decisions and is there any internal conflicts within BMW/other manufacturers.
I feel like they just do it to save money. There is no way anyone actually thinks it’s a good idea.
They clearly said it was because people were confused and overwhelmed with all the buttons
Two things they wanted to declutter, it was a common user complaint. Their infotainment data logs and uploads usage to their cloud infrastruture. They chose what to remove based on usage. They know what people use and dont use. Then they axed certain physical controls based on that. Then left certain buttons like defrost and hazard because of regulation.
Removing physical controls also makes manufacturing easier. Less knobs buttons and switches reduces the number of assembly operations and reduces potential points of failure or quality issues like squeaks and rattles which reduces the time the vehicle takes to build and pass quality inspection. It's effectively a sophisticated way of cutting costs for higher margins.
It’s a design cop-out (all screens = no physical UI/UX to design, manufacture and assemble). It’s cheap, it’s easy and increases profit margins, but I would be astonished if any industry insider ever admitted it on camera.
The fact that they said that too many physical buttons are overwhelming for customers is absolutely insane and complete bullshit. If they just blatantly said we removed the buttons because we want you to replace the screen i would of at least accepted it.
The reason the exhaust sound is so different is because the new S68 is based of the S63 found in the M5,M8, X5M etc. This engine uses a cross flow exhaust manifolds where both banks share a turbo. This gives you that more exotic V8 sound. The N63 exhaust manifolds are not crossing. Each bank has its own turbo. This gives you that traditional V8 rumble.
I watched the Acura MDX Type S video again just to compare it to this BMW X7. I think that Mark likes the Type S a bit more.
It's a better car to own for sure
The Type S is a good vehicle it just depends on what you want. It is definitely the better car to own in the long term, but it is not in the same league in driving dynamics and speed. However, it is a lot less expensive so it is a great value in my opinion. The sound system in the type s however is one of the top 3 systems I have ever heard in a car. (Very good)
@@jamesgage1365I would lease this but own the mdx
Vehicle price probably plays a significant factor here, The X7 is more expensive, bringing higher expectations.
Ten minutes in and there's no way I would want one of these. Gift one to me and I'd sell it before opening the door.
same
Thanks guys, best damn channel on UA-cam without question.
Touchscreen climate controls are such a dealbreaker for me. I so greatly appreciate how you guys ALWAYS include seemingly random flipping through these new interfaces to demonstrate lag, misinput frequency, and that aggravating tearing effect when scrolling. It also helps to show what features the OEMs are moving into the infotainment (headlights, GM? Really?)
So I can get a fully maxed out Mazda CX-90, and a fully maxed out Mx5 Club for the weekends and NOT get mistaken for a Kia Hyundai SUV? Thanks BMW for making this an easy choice 🤞🤟
yeah, obviously this X7 is better than those cars combined in pretty much every way.
@@kristians2704 I'd disagree 🤷🏾♂️
@@kristians2704 Kristians, if you like an ugly front end, user-unfriendly controls, and high cost of repair and ownership, then I suppose the X7 is a good choice. I however, will choose something else.
@@OldRustySteele how are these user unfriendly controls when bmw (along with genesis) is one of the very few brands who use both a touchscreen and a dial to control the screen. The performance, luxury, interior quality, technology is unmatched from any Japanese brand.
If you truly think that it looks like a Kia/Hyundai suv, realize that you're blind.
I have had one now for 4+ months now. The HVAC controls are definitely the worst part, especially coming out of a 2019 X5. Mixed on the front end but it has a ton of presence, and I weirdly get a lot of unexpected compliments. What sold me on it though is that this thing is a howitzer on wheels, especially in Sport Plus mode.
More like a Panzerhaubitze 2000 on wheels lol
@@Knnnkncht Haha yep!
Did one of those folks with the compliments introduce himself as Ray Charles?
I got the same type of experience and only had it as a 2 week rental.
Love that you reviewed the audio. Best reviewers on YT!
Thanks!
I liked the longer interior section. I know you went over it because you have the same car to compare but in general is was very informative and you guys should do it for more cars
The problem is, as much as us hard core fans love what Savagegeese does, lot of people sadly don't care. They wanna hear about the latest gimmick to impress their friends with the dumbest screens.
I know that's boomer energy (I'm 30), and I hope savagegees don't change to follow those stupid trends, but there's a reason it's hard for them to reach 1M subs as much as I wish it for them - they don't jump on stupid ass trends.
All of these vehicles are great for pilfering parts after they get discarded. Seats frames, engine block and heads, brakes and rotors, sun visors, center console structure between the seats, electric cooling fans. Everything else is either a tossable computer part or a soon to be LKQ inventoried SKU.
OR....a place to LIVE!!!! haha, you'll see when your living in an X7, it will be quiet in there at least!
The physical controls in my x3m is amazing. I love the buttons on the last gen. The new gen would frustrate me quickly because I’d have to interact with the screen for pretty much everything. Wish they left the programmable buttons alone.
I love the programmable buttons.
@@ARentz07 Same, those programmable buttons are a huge value add. Easy to use, efficient, won't break ever. I don't think I"ll buy a BMW without it frankly
You traded your Volvo XC90 for the X7? we need an update vid on that man
Finally, real honest reviews. How no one else even mentions these negative comments on UA-cam is a mind blow! Thanks for your review.
Wow, they got rid of the memory controls? That was one of my favorite features of BMWs. Sad.
They say buyers wanted that...the reason is to cut costs and be cheap.
BMW is the ultimate marketing machine
Ultimate Gen Z machine.
What, A 32 minute dump?! I'm in!!
I'm so old I remember the days when texting was the big distraction.
Before that it was “adjusting the radio” 😂
@@S8ER I didn't think I was that old. 😂
BMW's biggest market is currently China. Their new/updated models are all designed with mainly that part of the world in mind.
That’s every car manufacturers market. Been that way for over 10 years…
Yeah it is an absolute shame.
When I think about buying something Marc's reviews are the acid test.
I miss some of the physical buttons. I agree, I really loved having 8 shortcut keys that could be for vehicle functions and not just the radio. However, the i8 system does still give you 4 short-cut keys. If you swipe down from the main menu, you should see 4 configurable shortcut keys. It wasn't intuitive, but to populate those shortcuts, you have to surf through the menus and just long-press whatever menu item you want to add to the shortcuts. Then to remove a shortcut, you drag down the short cut menu and long press on the option you want to remove. It's a little clunky, but it's still there.
I cant wait to liquidate some of my arby's stocks to buy one of these.
You guys are the only car reviewers I can trust since you're not afraid to tell the truth for what it is. Please keep telling us what the cars are actually like, and don't sell out like so many car reviewers have done
I have a 2022 40i and that thing is a limousine shaped like a suv with all the performance you need!
Shortcuts are still available with iDrive 8. Select your shortcut, and access it by swiping down. Each shortcut is labeled, rather than requiring you to remember which radio button to press.
I was considering the top trim 2023 X7 but wound up getting an 03 Kia Sportage
A frugal choice!
Lol, just say you didn't have the funds mane. You went from CEO to mailroom.
Dang nice
Out of choice right?
Nice review. I just picked up a X5 xDrive 40i . I'm very happy with the inline 6 b58 engine and I can only imagine the power of the twin turbo V8.
Stick to the b58 if you want peace of mind..
@@florinvid But that V8 though..
@@nelzelpher7158 less reliable. less economical and when tuned to the limit not as powerful as inline 6.
@@florinvidS68 I thought was fairly reliable
Mark, I looked all over for the X7 'DB' edition, you were right, all V8s! Thank you, your video helped me narrow down all of the trim options so I could focus on the one that fits me the best. 🤔
Good video guys. I'm team BMW but I must say, the prices and the complexity are just too much. The Germans are just showing off now. Maybe because the gasoline era is winding down and this is there last dance, they are doubling down before the lights get turned back up. Imagine the maintenance costs of this thing out of warranty. It's insane.
Mainstream cars are so good luxury brands really have to out of their minds to justify the higher asking prices. This is why I'm excited about the CX-90. You get luxury grade high performance hardware without the cost and complexity.
pretty much every car manufacturer is making their cars more complex and/or luxurious. they've figured out that they can make more money on each car that way.
@@future62 but in reality you can't compare a CX-90 with this, it's not even close. Then again, of course this is 2x the price.
This SUV will be basically free in 20 years due to maintenance nightmares.
Hey, smart ass: I'm German and i must remind you, that all bigger BMW SUVs/SAVs are built in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
If this is "the last dance for BMW" at the end of the ICE era, it will be the last dance for a lot of American employees.
Your snobbish dummy opinion just sucks, dude!
What about this:
The BY FAR best luxury EV on the market today is the BMW i7! Just inform yourself about this!
Compared to such a perfect luxury vehicle, Tesla vehicles are are like stupid trash and cheap piece of horseshit.
BMW build quality/ technology and luxury is on another level compared to a lot of other companies.
Maybe for some "cheaper" competitors there will be a last ICE dance soon, but not for BMW.
The i7 gives a unique and a perfect driving experience in total silence in perfect quality, better than Rolls Royce for 400.000 Dollars today.
BMW certainly won't have "a last dance" soon... Maybe shitty Tesla has.
Idiot!
I feel the 2 generations ago iDrive system designed primarily for a knob (but still perfectly usable with the touchscreen) was one of the best infotainments ever made, in terms of usability, functionality and performance (and the design looked nice enough too). The hard memory buttons with touch to preview is my favourite infotainment feature of any car.
Whole of BMW peaked in design and usability about 2018.
@japanwatchconnection the one I experienced had carplay as a subscription :) I honestly never missed it though, the base system was actually just good enough
the lack of the ac knobs is a daily nightmare
Hell yeah love the Kirkland Signature hoodie.
I absolutely love mine. Definitely a few quirks but I wouldn't trade it for an SQ7 or GLS any day of the week.
Ultimate Driving Machine, folks.
I got the x7 x40i 2021 version. You are absolutely right. I wish I had the V8 lol. But aside from that, my experience with the x7 has been absolutely superb. It took BMW a long time to come out with a GLS killer, but the driving experience really shows.
Jack talks about this engine being for emissions and compliance like it's some 1.2 liter 3 cylinder 🤣 its a 500hp twin turbo 4.4L V8 lol lets just be happy it still exists
Facts.
You should make a spreadsheet of the best sounding cars + pros and cons audio system wise
I would love to have one of those
Why do automakers keep putting these giant screens into cars when they work as smooth and consistent as an android phone from 2009?
I honestly don’t mind the exterior. What they did doesn’t fit the new 7 series at all but it looks alright on the X7. It’s the lack of physical controls on the interior that bothers me.
Currently in a '23 X7 40i loaner while my pre-LCI XB7 is in the shop. I can say with certainty that iDrive 8 is a HUGE step backwards. Things that were once intuitive to use are now wrought with frustration.
*IDEA* for a special video topic: Put the ballooniest tire format allowed on a bread-and-butter vehicle focused on comfort not sporty driving performance and examine how much smoother/quieter the ride is and the overall difference in driving feel and whether the trend towards bigger wheels and thinner tires is madness.
You could even do a bonus round and try to race a car with such tire format and examine how much driving quality is really lost.
Kinda like a comparison to see if using more throttle gives you worse fuel economy, ppl kinda just already know more sidewall increases comfort
@@Onewheelordeal Funny, because there's that claim that brief full throttle to target speed could be a more efficient operation for the engine than creeping up to it with minimal throttle. But it's inconclusive AFAIK, with many variables involved.
Regarding the sidewall it would be relevant to examine driving safety, kind of a limited field within driving performance, and how often/much that is relevant, especially compared to the obsession with energy saver tires that inherently have worse safety performance.
@Dowlphwin the ice engine is most efficient at high load low rpm, that may be true in a manual when you can shift early but if you're in a car where the auto trans will just downshift as low as possible and rev as high as it can get to, you will definitely not be getting better mpg than just trying to keep the rpms as low as possible (not accelerating comically slow either)
This sounds great. Give em all 16 inch wheels, bolt pattern allowing, and see if luxury is just a tire swap away
People like to run 80-90mph everywhere. Tall sidewalls get squirrelly.
Pre facelift was far better, bmw turned this into a really expensive Palisade
Should have renamed it the Fallacade
Nice review, this S68 engine is interesting but so glad I picked up a CPO 2019 X7 with the V8 fully loaded last year. I got the physical buttons and rear seat entertainment, which with kids is great on long trips. X7 is a solid three row that will serve my family well, I am happy with the purchase but uncertain how long I will keep it after the CPO warranty expires…
Finally an X7 review!
The reviews are simply honest
BMW used to be all about driving. Everything on the car was simple, easy, functional and didn't have anything you did not need to drive. It was quintessential German. Function then form. There is one company you can get a real BMW from. Mazda.
Genesis? Especially the G70.
It's crazy how Japanese brands that used to play second fiddle and Koreans are now top picks for new models.
Mazda isn't all about driving anymore either. They're going luxury which means thier cars are only going to get more numb. Hell the Mazda 3 turbo is proof they are going in bmw direction
GM's Blackwings
Great video as usual guys. In 2020 I wanted to get a 3 row suv and I asked what your opinion was and your answer if I remember clearly was if I had to have a 3 row. It turns out I don’t. I have 2 boys and in may of 2020 I chose a 2020 X5. It’s been my best car purchase so far. I love it. The B58 with the zf trans is amazing. If you want a bmw x vehicle and you do not need a three row or the wow factor of a v8, get an X5 with a B58 inline 6. It’s worth it guys.
Great as always. You are 1 out of 4 of my go to guys for cars. You guys think about cars and evaluate them like I do. I have had 12 BMW X5's, my wife is on 2nd X7 ( refresh), I have had 2 Cayenne S and many M3/4 sense 2002. I agree with everything you said on new X7 vs 2020 X7. I am about to pull string on either refresh X5 M60i or Cayenne S with the V8, I would love your guys thoughts?? Thanks
you should open a used car showroom...😁
Seriously, I'm broke just reading this car history lineup.
Just imagine owning this out of warranty…..holy sh!t 😂
it can not be done, and no millionaire would waste the money, maybe for a wifes car, but doubt it.
@@joesmith9216 maybe for my wife’s boyfriend’s car
2:00 "they've cleaned it up because they said a lot of customers were kind of overwhelmed with buttons, knobs, and switches" Well that's kinda unfortunate, but I'm not the target customer of this car so why should I care I guess
The target is toddeers it seems.
To anyone thinking about getting one, Lease it if you can afford and only Finance if it's for business expense tax write off purposes (bonus depreciation on taxes in the U.S. which you can't do if you lease). The depreciation in the next 4-5 years will be insane.
This is the best car review channel .. these guys knows how to push the cars to the limits. I have x5 2020. The ventilated seats works better than on my Lexus. However, they are not cooled like Ford seats. I wish they were. The massaged seats on x5 are really aggressive. Wonder what changed on x7? I only wish they did headlight demonstration at nighttime. Good comparison to Kia product.. they seemed to look the same 😂
Great, great video. You guys are the best.
I just took delivery of the same M60i, color, trim, wheels. I love it
Impressive and comprehensive review. Great job.
Brutally honest review! Love the X7 and it drives extremely well. I’d only get one with the bench seat in the second row. The captains chairs are silly.
Not the large-luxury-big dollar-SUV hauler review wanted, but the review we truly deserved 👏 👏 👏
Savagegeese brought up Range Rover as competition for X7, but forgot to mention that RR uses BMW’s N63 engine (same as in M50i)
Man, they have to do something about that "new" infotainment. I get it that this is business and they need to make money everywhere so they decided to put everything on the screen instead of having physical buttons that cost them money. I tried it during the test drives a couple of times and it is horrendous to operate. It is even dangerous since you have to shuffle through all those menus, while driving to setup up even the most basic things that used to take a second to do before. It is really, really bad and a huge turnoff for me. I will stick to older models because of that or switch to competition like Genesis
HVAC controls that are dangerously distracting and cup holders that can be damaged by liquid. It's a no for me, boss.
Bought the X7 40i M sport package plenty quick. You get used to the screen. The front end, tech, and the hybrid system is why you buy the new one. It stands out plus I wrapped the pillars and roof like a range rover white body black roof and pillars. So far everything works fine, no problems.
Can you use voice assistant for everything instead of display? I seems like they are trying to get us to use voice more, in order make it cleaner an make more profits from making less breakable buttons. It actually makes sense.
Bling bling until the warranty runs out, it is then time to trade it in.
Why not cover buttons under a panel like they used to go on the e39s and early X5s for example. Then they can have their clean look
If you push the iDrive selector up, you still have your shortcuts right there.
Imagine having to navigate those menus... AND DRIVE A FREAKING CAR at the same time. I can't begin to explain how far BMW has lost me.
Never thought i'd say this,
The X7 pre refresh looks dope
Hmmm interesting you guys should do a comparison with the base X 7 and the top trim Mazda Cx-90
Lol mark looks so genuinely happy with his purchase, enjoy the V8 goodness
This video is the reason that my sister bought an X5. The removal of the 1-7 buttons was the identifying feature for a new car for her.
Ah yes! So excited to watch your personal x7 vid 👏
Did one team start and another finish that front end ? Or maybe there was a dispute in house and it was done out of spite
You've always said that the heated/cooled cup holders 'don't work'. But they work perfectly fine in my X5... drinks get cooled within minutes and stay warm/hot for a long time
It's about cutting cost. No buttons, just one giant screen = cheaper to manufacture and service.
The short cuts on the iDrive 8 are still there. it is a pull down from the top now.
Great video guys - I had a 21' x7 M50i which was completely loaded and even included a Carbon upgrade that pushed it to 623 hp and 712 torque until a teenager pulled out in front of me and it was totalled. Trying to decide do I go back and get a 21' again or move up to a 23 or 24. Avoiding 22's since it's super hard to find one with DSC. BTW - you are so right about the depreciation on these - I took a massive hit with the insurance company despite having every upgrade in mine except for the tow hitch. Thanks for the insights on the 23'.
What did you end up doing? I have a 2022 M50i and am on the fence whether to buyout the lease or lease a new M60i.
You found the heated and cooled cup holders to be useful in your X5 M50i review… must have had a change of heart since then. I have an X7 and use them frequently and find them very useful and effective.
As an owner of an M240i with iDrive 8, I will say adjusting the climate becomes a non-issue. Just set it and forget it. BMW's intelligent auto climate does the rest for you. Auto heated steering wheel, auto heated seats.. it works pretty well IMO. I do miss the preset buttons :(
Cx 90 turbo S... review... please!!!
HVAC ventilation controls is a BIG L. It's like the designers didn't even prototype the car before creating it or even do any usability on the main controls to see if it was worth doing. Absolutely nobody wants to go into a screen to update temperature controls and it gets worse while you're driving. Huge FAIL. I actually do like the exterior design though, but I do love the huge grill haha.
24:18 Jack can’t help mentioning the B58 again
2:03 If you're overwhelmed by the HVAC knobs and buttons in a modern-day BMW you really shouldn't be driving at all
We are dealing with the generation that feels too overwhelmed ordering a burger from a person that they’d rather spend five minutes at a screen doing it themselves.
I think the front actually looks great on the X7 compared to the 7 series. Alamo’s “fits” the car better
Your reviews are outstanding. Question: where do you get all the slides from?