I also find it hilarious how reviewers viewpoints on a vehicle do a total 180. When the X7 first came out it was one of the best riding and quietest vehicles anybody had ever tested, now:

I can find you 5 reviews where the praise the "incredible" body control specifically.

And the Escalade, everybodys saying its a world class interior that leaves nothing to be desired from any other luxury interior, yet:

Theyre riding in some nice work trucks lol

In short, they're all full of it lol

I get where they're coming from, Mercedes (and BMW both) have to be high trim to feel really special inside. I have driven the GLS, and the interior is a little austere.

 

There is a huge difference in ride quality of bmw equipped with standard suspension and adjustable M sport, and even more so with M sport with rear air suspension.

 

For sure, and especially with the dynamic handling package which addresses that very concern.

I found the X7s I drove (well equipped six figure ones) to ride and drive incredibly well for what they are. Landed on my list of vehicles I don't feel lose much if any ride quality over flagship sedans which is a VERY short list.

 

Yep, and also tires make a huge difference. I am not trying to take anything away from the Navigator or the Escalade, they are great, but they are geared for a different buyer.

 

Totally different, and they drive very differently. Like I said if I had 4 kids and I used an SUV to travel with the family, I would get an Escalade or Navigator. But for a daily driver, those vehicles feel much bigger, more ponderous and tiring to drive over something like an X7 or GLS. Those vehicles are much better daily drivers that have the added benefit of having 3 rows.

Another example, my wife (who has also driven the X7, GLS and Navigator) has said she would accept an X7 or GLS as a replacement for the Pacifica, but not a Navigator. Too big for her. She really likes the GLS, while my choice would be the X7 (will happily take a GLS over the Pacifica lol)

 

The X7 was $98K...you expect more than 335HP which is just unacceptable for the price point. The Toyota V6tt is listed at 414hp and the Navi is as a whopping 450hp.

 

To be fair that X7 was really highly optioned for a 4.0, it has the BMW individual interior, extended leather dashboard, Bowers & Wilkins audio, glass controls, etc. The vast majority of 4.0 X7s are way cheaper than that, really in the mid $70k range. When I was looking at them it was extremely hard to find that well optioned a 4.0.

For that same MSRP you can get the V8 with slightly less equipment, which would be the way to go for sure.

Bear in mind though, you can buy $100k 740s with the same engine. That engine is no slouch. I would get the V8 though.

That highlights another issue with the article, they reference the GLS price and think "what kind of cost cutting would you need to do to get it to the X7's price" well, its simple, you choose the comparable GLS450 vs the much faster and more powerful GLS580 they tested.

These vehicles are very poorly matched. Then they have a LWB Escalade! Silly.

 

i agree with this. Even the ancient lx570 v8 has more power.

Agree with your wife. the navi is bigger in every dimension than the x7 (almost 7" longer!). And it's so tall that 'normal' cars will appear like speedbumps through the pillbox slit of a windshield.

as for x7 vs gls, gls hands down for me. X7 just doesn't feel very roomy. Nice interior though for sure!

 

Every Lexus and Toyota V8 dates back to 2006. The LX is for a different type of buyer than those who buy these vehicles in the MT test.

 

Bear in mind that this is a turbo power train and BMW underrates their engines. The X7 with the 4.0 will be much faster than an LX570. In that comparison its a full second slower 0-60 than the Escalade despite it having a lot more power.

 

Did anyone notice that the day or so after MT did two separate comparisons? (Which maybe should have been done in the first place?). Navi vs Caddy and X7 vs GLS.

I agree that there are pros and cons to both and there’s no wrong answer. At all.

Me? I like a truck chassis and while they don’t handle like a crossover, there’s just something “fun” about driving a real truck which offsets it. People may think that sounds crazy or they may get it 100%. They also feel super safe. It is crazy, to even me, but my spouse drives the beat up Yukon 100% of the time, when there’s a perfect condition LS430 sitting in the garage which isn’t exactly a death trap.

Loves how big and heavy it is, refers to it as “bulldozing around”.

Plus trucks are better than ever these days and I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case with crossovers either.

 

The test is not flawed. It’s fair The largest people movers from each of the brands, pitted against each other. The highest price points. 6 years back, MT ranked the Escalade, GLE, LX, Range Rover, Navigator and QX. In that order.

I am surprised the X7 is cramped. But it is what it is and I always thought that that crossovers solved space issues. I guess not.

wheelbases are the same....but crazy to think the X7 has a worse turning circle. And 50/50 weight distribution favours the Navi. 2nd, 3rd row passenger room and cargo space are better in the Lincoln.

 

X7 is also available with rear wheel steering which would obviously improve the turning circle. I never felt the X7 was cramped at all. Its not as big inside as a Navigator or Escalade, but like we've discussed they are very different sorts of vehicles and much larger.

IMO this test is like comparing a midsized truck and a fullsized truck. Doesn't really make sense.

 

Yes the same engine is used in the 740 and while it’s no slouch, the X7 is almost a thousand pounds heavier. That is a lot of weight for that engine to haul around and isn’t ideal. Does it work, sure but when you pick the lowest optioned engine for a test and then complain about it, it just seems flawed from the start.

 

While the Mercedes may indeed have the best chassis for driving-dynamics, all one has to do is open the door of the Navigator or Escalade, get in, and sit down, to see, in ten seconds or less, why those two handily dusted off the German competition. In this case, luxury means luxury. Full-sized luxury SUVs are not intended to be sports cars. The more of a country-club atmosphere they have, the better.

Having said that, however, I can understand the view of some who feel that the Navigator and full-length Escalade (Suburban-based vs. Tahoe-based) are too big for many suburban driving needs, and for maneuverability in tight places. These vehicles are simply not for them.

And in another year or so, I guess (or maybe sooner), we will have a repeat of this test to see where the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer will fit in. FCA, after years of ignoring this class of SUV, is finally joining it.