BMW X7

FIRST DRIVE Our verdict as BMW refreshes big SUV with latest tech

- Richard Ingram

Running costs 21.9mpg (official) £137 fill-up

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/155mph

SOME cars aren't really built for British roads, whether that's because they're too big, too inefficient, or even too stiffly sprung. The UK market is unique and buyers here are a picky bunch.

The BMW X7 certainly sits on the cusp of being a little too large for our environment; the US, China and Korea account for a whopping 75 per cent of sales, with Britain sitting someway further down the pile. At almost 5.2 metres long, two metres wide and more than 1.8 metres tall, the X7 dwarfs cars like the latest Range Rover Sport. The BMW is heavier, too, at 2.7 tonnes.

A huge profit driver for BMW, the flagship SUV has now been updated. Its makers say it's the "biggest life cycle [facelift] of any car we've ever done", with changes including a completely new front-end design, interior technology from the latest 7 Series, and mild-hybrid tech fitted across the range.

At the top of the line-up is this X7 M60i. Power (523bhp) and torque (750Nm) are unchanged from the previous M50i, but it has a new engine. The hybrid system reduces load and improves initial response, while boosting economy at lower speeds. But with figures of 21.9mpg and CO₂ emissions of 292g/km, clearly not by much.