• Logical if uninspiring cabin
• Excellent build quality
• BMW iDrive infotainment is class-leading

How is the quality and layout?

The 7 Series cabin will be familiar to anyone who has driven a BMW in the past decade or so, but that’s no criticism. The BMW dashboard layout is one of the most intuitive on the market, and it’s also one of the most solidly built.

It isn’t as inspiring as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, or as precise as an Audi A8, but it strikes a really appealing middle ground, feeling every inch the premium model. And because it comes with hugely adjustable seats, getting comfortable is a simple task.

Infotainment and tech

The 7 Series comes with lots of standard infotainment technology, but the primary features are the touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard and the digital instrument display in front of the driver. One is the best system of its type, while the other is a bit of a let-down.

Let’s start with the touchscreen, which comes with a pin-sharp display, lots of useful functions and a handy rotary controller so you never have to take your eyes off the road. The system is part of BMW’s Live Cockpit Professional arrangement, and it sets the standard for other touchscreens. The digital instrument display, on the other hand, can be confusing and difficult to read, with too much information pushed to the extremities of the 12.3-inch display.

More impressive are the optional rear screens, which are 10.0-inch tablet displays that offer access to the car’s own infotainment systems, and can be specified with a TV receiver to tune into live broadcasts.

Comfort 

• Seats are soft, supportive and adjustable
• Loads of comfort-orientated gadgets
• Long wheelbase offer better legroom

If there’s one element a limo has to nail, it is comfort, and it’s immediately clear that the current 7 Series is an improvement over previous generations. This model is longer than its predecessor and has a class-leading wheelbase, ensuring there’s plenty of room for occupants to stretch out and get comfortable.

A range of quiet and refined diesel and petrol engines – especially the plug-in hybrid – add to the serenity, and the 7 Series proves a comfortable and relaxing place to spend time. Extensive sound deadening in the rear wheel arches, B-pillar and rear-seat backrest, along with thickened glass, help keep things quiet.

Both front and rear seats are soft and supportive at the same time, and they come with heating as standard, while the Heat Comfort pack warms the armrests and steering wheel for colder climes. Massages are available on the move too, and the long-wheelbase model offers rear seats that recline and a front passenger seat that slides forward by 90mm for extra rear legroom.