G70 740i Test Drive Impressions Review (From a G12 M760 Owner)

[DB_Cooper]

Originally Posted by E66er

I don't care who you've met, but the facts are many found the Bangle 7 worth spending money on as it was a sales success - do people buy cars they think are disgusting looking? People on this board have said they liked it, Chris Harris has said it.

Same goes for the G70. PLENTY of journalists have said they loved how it looks, plenty of people on this board have said the same. But you've never met any personally so that's your argument?

Dude what are you still on about?

The car looks shitty. Lol.

I disagree with you, Chris Harris, Chris Bangle and whoever thinks it's an attractive design.

And yes ugly cars sell all the time.

[Mani59]

Hi all,

Whatever your thoughts, can you please be respectful to each other at all times.

If in doubt, please review the below thread.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1952844

Thanks, Mani

[TXSTYLE]

I was actually wondering when a Mod would step in...

[Derived]

Lots of faulty logic in this thread.

Something being popular =/= something being objectively good. I don't think that has to be explained to anyone with enough money to buy a current or prior-gen 7 series. Repeatedly using other people's tastes to "prove" that someone else's is wrong never works.

I believe there are objectively beautiful, good and correct designs. There is certainly some room for preference and differentiation but there are also objectively ugly, awkward and poor designs and at some point aesthetics really are not up for debate. I think there are many things about the exterior of this car that place it beyond the realm of opinion and solidly into "genuinely ugly" - but that's just like, my opinion, man.

It's overwhelmingly obvious that the sales growth is in China, and that the German brands see that as the next frontier to conquer - and logically so. It's quite clear as well that these designs are appealing to them - they are striking, aggressive, very post-modern. Pointing this out as some sort of conspiracy theory is strange. It's just math.

And this is perhaps where myself and many, many others find issue. Even this car's proponents in this thread fail to describe it as beautiful, elegant, proportional, etc. They take almost take pride in buying something that's at best striking and unusual simply because of the effect it will have on other people. This sentiment has been expressed again and again in this thread. This car is the automotive equivalent of Billie Eilish - intentionally awkward, unusual, even unpleasant to look at merely to attract eyeballs and attention. And, in fairness, it works. But it only works for so long. As I said - very post-modern. Its purpose is to agitate and destabilize, not to edify, soothe or even necessary create attraction based on any positive attributes. Keep in mind I'm merely discussing the exterior. This isn't a philosophy that has ever stood the test of time.

And really that's the problem with the design language of this car, BMW as a whole right now, and indeed many aesthetic pursuits currently taking place in Western culture - they exist merely to be "anti" and "disrupt norms" - to agitate, to "excite", to make you feel uncomfortable. It does not seek to actually achieve anything. I agree that in 10 years time or so, few will remember this design as anything other than something crazy and weird that BMW in yet another attempt to reinvent themselves. It's ugly on purpose to make you look - because that is the primary virtue so many look for in almost everything they buy or experience now. No longer do they aspire to build beautiful or even merely attractive cars. Just as many works of "art", much of modern fashion and even much of modern architecture merely seems to be little more than a joke you're not in on...a ploy for attention that immediately punishes you as soon as you give it.

Now I'm a bit biased because I own a G12 M760, and a rather nice one if I do say so myself. However, I could have easily purchased the new 7, and in fact it was the unveiling of the G70 that urged me to buy my 760, as I knew it was unlikely anything like it would ever be produced again. Mine is pre-LCI, as I could not find an LCI car in the spec that I want. It certainly isn't the most striking car ever built, but it's quite attractive and I think it will hold up. Mostly, I just really like looking at it. It's beautiful, proportional, elegant, all the things I expect of a big luxury sport sedan. It's perhaps just a bit anonymous, but with the matte brown paint I think it has just the right amount of "X factor" that perhaps was missing from a standard non-sport G12. It's a very good looking car. You can find photos of it on other threads for reference. I do happen to think it's a much better looking car than this, the beached whale that is the W223 (which I was also hoping would turn out much better) and the fairly sterile and extremely anonymous A8. I'd gladly choose my car again any day over any example of the current "big 3" available right now, and if anything I feel lucky that I was able to find my car when I did. I think it's poor form and again, poor logic to assume everyone who doesn't like the new car isn't in the market or can't afford it. This again is another non-argument used by people who only see value in something when it gets a certain reaction from others and not necessarily because they see value in it themselves intrinsically.

Having said all that, I do like the interior of the new car very much, and while I like mine, the tech and the extremely futuristic-yet-luxurious style of the G70 is very appealing. And I'm sure it's great to drive, many have said this in fact. But to me a car must look good to be any good for me, and I think there is a long, robust history of human beings finding value in aesthetics and desiring the things they choose to bring into their lives to be beautiful and attractive if they can help it at all. I'm know I'm not the only one who thinks this.

At the end of the day it will be interesting to see how it sells, and how they evolve this design in the future with an LCI. I just hope they go back to designing cars that look good on their own merits and don't just exist as immature, spiteful exercises in making people feel uncomfortable. I don't think the world needs any more of that.

For what it's worth, I think my Bangle M5 is one of the best-looking sedans of all time...but after all I'm just a 31 year old Boomer....

[joeyjoejoejr]

Originally Posted by Derived

Lots of faulty logic in this thread.

Something being popular =/= something being objectively good. I don't think that has to be explained to anyone with enough money to buy a current or prior-gen 7 series. Repeatedly using other people's tastes to "prove" that someone else's is wrong never works.

I believe there are objectively beautiful, good and correct designs. There is certainly some room for preference and differentiation but there are also objectively ugly, awkward and poor designs and at some point aesthetics really are not up for debate. I think there are many things about the exterior of this car that place it beyond the realm of opinion and solidly into "genuinely ugly" - but that's just like, my opinion, man.

It's overwhelmingly obvious that the sales growth is in China, and that the German brands see that as the next frontier to conquer - and logically so. It's quite clear as well that these designs are appealing to them - they are striking, aggressive, very post-modern. Pointing this out as some sort of conspiracy theory is strange. It's just math.

And this is perhaps where myself and many, many others find issue. Even this car's proponents in this thread fail to describe it as beautiful, elegant, proportional, etc. They take almost take pride in buying something that's at best striking and unusual simply because of the effect it will have on other people. This sentiment has been expressed again and again in this thread. This car is the automotive equivalent of Billie Eilish - intentionally awkward, unusual, even unpleasant to look at merely to attract eyeballs and attention. And, in fairness, it works. But it only works for so long. As I said - very post-modern. Its purpose is to agitate and destabilize, not to edify, soothe or even necessary create attraction based on any positive attributes. Keep in mind I'm merely discussing the exterior. This isn't a philosophy that has ever stood the test of time.

And really that's the problem with the design language of this car, BMW as a whole right now, and indeed many aesthetic pursuits currently taking place in Western culture - they exist merely to be "anti" and "disrupt norms" - to agitate, to "excite", to make you feel uncomfortable. It does not seek to actually achieve anything. I agree that in 10 years time or so, few will remember this design as anything other than something crazy and weird that BMW in yet another attempt to reinvent themselves. It's ugly on purpose to make you look - because that is the primary virtue so many look for in almost everything they buy or experience now. No longer do they aspire to build beautiful or even merely attractive cars. Just as many works of "art", much of modern fashion and even much of modern architecture merely seems to be little more than a joke you're not in on...a ploy for attention that immediately punishes you as soon as you give it.

Now I'm a bit biased because I own a G12 M760, and a rather nice one if I do say so myself. However, I could have easily purchased the new 7, and in fact it was the unveiling of the G70 that urged me to buy my 760, as I knew it was unlikely anything like it would ever be produced again. Mine is pre-LCI, as I could not find an LCI car in the spec that I want. It certainly isn't the most striking car ever built, but it's quite attractive and I think it will hold up. Mostly, I just really like looking at it. It's beautiful, proportional, elegant, all the things I expect of a big luxury sport sedan. It's perhaps just a bit anonymous, but with the matte brown paint I think it has just the right amount of "X factor" that perhaps was missing from a standard non-sport G12. It's a very good looking car. You can find photos of it on other threads for reference. I do happen to think it's a much better looking car than this, the beached whale that is the W223 (which I was also hoping would turn out much better) and the fairly sterile and extremely anonymous A8. I'd gladly choose my car again any day over any example of the current "big 3" available right now, and if anything I feel lucky that I was able to find my car when I did. I think it's poor form and again, poor logic to assume everyone who doesn't like the new car isn't in the market or can't afford it. This again is another non-argument used by people who only see value in something when it gets a certain reaction from others and not necessarily because they see value in it themselves intrinsically.

Having said all that, I do like the interior of the new car very much, and while I like mine, the tech and the extremely futuristic-yet-luxurious style of the G70 is very appealing. And I'm sure it's great to drive, many have said this in fact. But to me a car must look good to be any good for me, and I think there is a long, robust history of human beings finding value in aesthetics and desiring the things they choose to bring into their lives to be beautiful and attractive if they can help it at all. I'm know I'm not the only one who thinks this.

At the end of the day it will be interesting to see how it sells, and how they evolve this design in the future with an LCI. I just hope they go back to designing cars that look good on their own merits and don't just exist as immature, spiteful exercises in making people feel uncomfortable. I don't think the world needs any more of that.

For what it's worth, I think my Bangle M5 is one of the best-looking sedans of all time...but after all I'm just a 31 year old Boomer....

I am definitely not saying I find my new 7 ugly. Nor have I ever bought a car for any other reason than it brought me joy to drive, sit in, play with, look at, or I guess some times for curiosity(2012 Model S.). I owned a Ferrari FF when they first came out. The trolling(in person no less)I experienced with that wouldnt have been worth it if I didn’t love it. Hell, the depreciation wouldn’t have been worth it. I loved the clown shoe Z3M and the FF was like that on steroids. I’ve thought BMW should put a real grill on the 7 ever since I saw some artist rendering of the E65 when I was a kid. Turned out to be wrong but it stuck with me. After a week and a half with my car I’m actually finding it to be a lot more attractive than I did when I first saw one online. I’ll agree the car is far more handsome than beautiful. And yes it is a work of art. This design feels more masculine than the last 7s. Not in a douchebag rolling coal way or even like a creepy incel way, but I suppose there are less curves and a bit harder edges. Maybe in the same neighborhood as a G-wagon but not destined as utilitarian. Anyway…I love the way it looks. It sounds like you’re trying to be insulting, but I only skimmed all that shit you wrote. You’re probably not my kind of guy. I immediately thought when I read this:

But to me a car must look good to be any good for me, and I think there is a long, robust history of human beings finding value in aesthetics and desiring the things they choose to bring into their lives to be beautiful and attractive if they can help it at all. I'm know I'm not the only one who thinks this.

Wow! That sounds really familiar…like you replace a few words in that first sentence(car and good) and you’ve got manifesto over there.

I wasn’t aware of the backlash when I bought the car but now that I am I won’t say I’m not entertained by it.

It’s also entertaining to shitpost back to people. Especially when they come in with their Nissan Sentra comparison pics and unoriginal comments in threads they have no reason to post that shit in. It’s funny to me that someone cares that much about a car they really aren’t in the market or even demographic for. I have an opinion about the Model X but I don’t give a shit enough to say much about it to anyone, and I certainly wouldn’t trundle my ass into their forum and insult their purchase.

Sorry about saying the E60 is ugly, but I didn’t say it in the E60 forum in a thread about someone’s new headers or something. You had to come here to see that.

[E66er]

Originally Posted by Derived

Lots of faulty logic in this thread.

Something being popular =/= something being objectively good. I don't think that has to be explained to anyone with enough money to buy a current or prior-gen 7 series. Repeatedly using other people's tastes to "prove" that someone else's is wrong never works.

I believe there are objectively beautiful, good and correct designs. There is certainly some room for preference and differentiation but there are also objectively ugly, awkward and poor designs and at some point aesthetics really are not up for debate. I think there are many things about the exterior of this car that place it beyond the realm of opinion and solidly into "genuinely ugly" - but that's just like, my opinion, man.

It's overwhelmingly obvious that the sales growth is in China, and that the German brands see that as the next frontier to conquer - and logically so. It's quite clear as well that these designs are appealing to them - they are striking, aggressive, very post-modern. Pointing this out as some sort of conspiracy theory is strange. It's just math.

And this is perhaps where myself and many, many others find issue. Even this car's proponents in this thread fail to describe it as beautiful, elegant, proportional, etc. They take almost take pride in buying something that's at best striking and unusual simply because of the effect it will have on other people. This sentiment has been expressed again and again in this thread. This car is the automotive equivalent of Billie Eilish - intentionally awkward, unusual, even unpleasant to look at merely to attract eyeballs and attention. And, in fairness, it works. But it only works for so long. As I said - very post-modern. Its purpose is to agitate and destabilize, not to edify, soothe or even necessary create attraction based on any positive attributes. Keep in mind I'm merely discussing the exterior. This isn't a philosophy that has ever stood the test of time.

And really that's the problem with the design language of this car, BMW as a whole right now, and indeed many aesthetic pursuits currently taking place in Western culture - they exist merely to be "anti" and "disrupt norms" - to agitate, to "excite", to make you feel uncomfortable. It does not seek to actually achieve anything. I agree that in 10 years time or so, few will remember this design as anything other than something crazy and weird that BMW in yet another attempt to reinvent themselves. It's ugly on purpose to make you look - because that is the primary virtue so many look for in almost everything they buy or experience now. No longer do they aspire to build beautiful or even merely attractive cars. Just as many works of "art", much of modern fashion and even much of modern architecture merely seems to be little more than a joke you're not in on...a ploy for attention that immediately punishes you as soon as you give it.

Now I'm a bit biased because I own a G12 M760, and a rather nice one if I do say so myself. However, I could have easily purchased the new 7, and in fact it was the unveiling of the G70 that urged me to buy my 760, as I knew it was unlikely anything like it would ever be produced again. Mine is pre-LCI, as I could not find an LCI car in the spec that I want. It certainly isn't the most striking car ever built, but it's quite attractive and I think it will hold up. Mostly, I just really like looking at it. It's beautiful, proportional, elegant, all the things I expect of a big luxury sport sedan. It's perhaps just a bit anonymous, but with the matte brown paint I think it has just the right amount of "X factor" that perhaps was missing from a standard non-sport G12. It's a very good looking car. You can find photos of it on other threads for reference. I do happen to think it's a much better looking car than this, the beached whale that is the W223 (which I was also hoping would turn out much better) and the fairly sterile and extremely anonymous A8. I'd gladly choose my car again any day over any example of the current "big 3" available right now, and if anything I feel lucky that I was able to find my car when I did. I think it's poor form and again, poor logic to assume everyone who doesn't like the new car isn't in the market or can't afford it. This again is another non-argument used by people who only see value in something when it gets a certain reaction from others and not necessarily because they see value in it themselves intrinsically.

Having said all that, I do like the interior of the new car very much, and while I like mine, the tech and the extremely futuristic-yet-luxurious style of the G70 is very appealing. And I'm sure it's great to drive, many have said this in fact. But to me a car must look good to be any good for me, and I think there is a long, robust history of human beings finding value in aesthetics and desiring the things they choose to bring into their lives to be beautiful and attractive if they can help it at all. I'm know I'm not the only one who thinks this.

At the end of the day it will be interesting to see how it sells, and how they evolve this design in the future with an LCI. I just hope they go back to designing cars that look good on their own merits and don't just exist as immature, spiteful exercises in making people feel uncomfortable. I don't think the world needs any more of that.

For what it's worth, I think my Bangle M5 is one of the best-looking sedans of all time...but after all I'm just a 31 year old Boomer....

Perhaps your reading isn't good/faulty. Nobody ever said being a popular seller means something is objectively good. It just means a lot of people like it and spent money on it.

You may think the G70 is awkward, post modern, trying to be different bla bla bla. Some disagree with you and love it and bought it (yes even white people! With advanced tastes! Not Chinese!), and that's what so many like you fail to understand. People see things differently, what you think is nice is not what the next person may think and vice versa.

Don't like it don't buy it, don't look at it - it's that simple

[E66er]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

It’s also entertaining to shitpost back to people. Especially when they come in with their Nissan Sentra comparison pics and unoriginal comments in threads they have no reason to post that shit in. It’s funny to me that someone cares that much about a car they really aren’t in the market or even demographic for. I have an opinion about the Model X but I don’t give a shit enough to say much about it to anyone, and I certainly wouldn’t trundle my ass into their forum and insult their purchase.

Sorry about saying the E60 is ugly, but I didn’t say it in the E60 forum in a thread about someone’s new headers or something. You had to come here to see that.

You said his E60 is ugly and he went on to defend it - but when others like the G70....oh no no, it does not meet his minimum standards of good design! How dare people like it! It's made for China!

Cracks me up.

[AlteBMW]

@Derived: At least there is some thought in your post and it is civil, for which I thank you. The fundamental problem is that tastes differ, and IMO it is very difficult to apply an "objectivity" standard to a car's styling. Not impossible (Edsel comes to mind for those old enough to remember), but difficult. The style issue is to me is also not binary: it isn't either "good" or "bad." Every car is a set of compromises about design as well as engineering. And probably on every car you can find things that you personally would design differently, more to your own taste. I'm just more interested in how the car performs as a car as opposed to some kind of object of art sitting still in my garage. I weight dynamic over static. Some people would not do that and they are entitled to their opinion. What I don't like is somebody coming on here and essentially saying "I hate the design of this car, and you are a fool for buying one."

[E66er]

Originally Posted by DB_Cooper

And yes ugly cars sell all the time.

Ugly according to you - the owners of those cars probably don't think what they bought is ugly. Is it that hard to understand that tastes differ?

[joeyjoejoejr]

Originally Posted by E66er

You said his E60 is ugly and he went on to defend it - but when others like the G70....oh no no, it does not meet his minimum standards of good design! How dare people like it! It's made for China!

Cracks me up.

Yeah, that was a pretty out there post and he had the gall to start it with “Lots of faulty logic in this thread.”

[TrafficJam]

Originally Posted by KoenG

Is there any scientifical point you want to make here?

I for once, bought a i4, but the grill is still as dreadful as it was before I bought it. It's just a very good car, but ugly it remains.

The point I want to make is: Most BMW enthusiast will not like the design of the car, because the G70 does looks strange as a BMW. However, many buyers in the luxury / executive sedan segment may prefer the design, because the G70 looks special and demanding on the road. It has the Rolls Royce's feel / presence. If somebody is buying a luxury sedan, I bet they would prefer their cars look like Rolls instead of 3 series.

[TrafficJam]

Originally Posted by DB_Cooper

You're right, it's hilarious that enthusiasts and many lifelong BMW owners dislike a design.

You as a BMW enthusiast may not like the design, it is understandable. Most enthusiasts like BMW as "the Ultimate Driving Machine" rather than something that is Luxury and Commanding on the road. The G70 does looks strange as a BMW, it is nowhere as athletic and handsome looking as the previous model. However, many buyers in the luxury / executive sedan segment may still prefer this design since the G70 looks special and demanding on the road. It has the Rolls Royce's feel and presence. If somebody is buying a luxury sedan, I bet they would prefer their car being more related to a Rolls instead of an average BMW such as the 3 series.

[TrafficJam]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

I’m not SAYING anyone’s opinion has more value than yours but I will just leave this here…

https://jalopnik.com/we-were-all-wro...het-1664079107

I loved the E65 when it first came out. I had 2001 530i and i still think that is the most beautiful BMW ever made, the M5 version. Maybe the Z8. Doesn’t mean they all have to look like that forever. Genesis makes some handsome cars. Go buy one and then talk shit about the BMW G70 on their forums. I bet it’ll get real confusing.

I’m just glad they’re still making a proper 7 series sedan instead of replacing it with some loogie shaped EQS clone. That dude was bitching about screens in the G70!!

I agree with you. I think Chris Bangle's era was gold and the E65's design was very good as a luxury car. I never understand why so many people hates it. I have the similar comment on the E65's design as I have today on the G70: They may not prefer by traditional BMW enthusiast since their visually heavy design doesn't translate to the sporty image of the brand (the Ultimate Driving Machine). However, being flagship luxury cars, both E65 and G70 are great. They look special and demanding on the road, they let people recognize you are driving an expensive car, and they let competitors look cheap (the W220 looks like a taxi when it was next to the E65). In contrast, the G11 / G12 may looks better for an average BMW enthusiast, but in fact the pre LCI looks like a big 3 series, and the sales was never on par with the S class. But I must commit that the F01 / F02 looks elegant, it blends the sporty image and the luxury presence pretty well.

[DB_Cooper]

Originally Posted by E66er

Ugly according to you - the owners of those cars probably don't think what they bought is ugly. Is it that hard to understand that tastes differ?

Still beating the dead horse?

I already said it's my opinion (previous page) and others have every right to like/hate this or any design (see screenshot below). Most posts on automotive forum threads are opinions & personal preferences including yours.

You're arguing with yourself.

[joeyjoejoejr]

I had a surgery on my left foot last year to correct a fracture/dislocation. They put hardware in and it’s been fine. The other day I accidentally kicked my bathroom door rushing to catch the FedEx guy…well I missed my package and now I’m back in limp city.

Point is, I’ve been bored not being able to walk. So I just wanted to thank you folks. Maybe not the pretentious eugenics dude. I wish he’d go back from whence he came, like the forums for the cars he owns or 8chan(or is that kind of stuff on discord now?)

[Dr.Amro]

In my opinion the G70 is a piece of art and no other car from BMW even comes close to, whether it is the drive, technology or looks .

[Lovin7er]

Originally Posted by Dr.Amro

In my opinion the G70 is a piece of art and no other car from BMW even comes close to, whether it is the drive, technology or looks .

I agree.

[bimori]

What’s amazing to me is folks who don’t even own the car have the strongest opinions. IMO opinion, it’s the best 7 yet inside and out.

Carry on….

[2021BMW745e]

Originally Posted by Derived

It's overwhelmingly obvious that the sales growth is in China, and that the German brands see that as the next frontier to conquer - and logically so. It's quite clear as well that these designs are appealing to them - they are striking, aggressive, very post-modern. Pointing this out as some sort of conspiracy theory is strange. It's just math.

My issue with this is that people point it out as a negative. That BMW designing for their largest market is a negative. It's only viewed as a negative thing if there is an underlying xenophobia behind some of those remarks, and there absolutely is. I'm not saying you are xenophobic, I am just very well aware that if this was for England there would not be the same level of derision.

You might be the first person who owns a G12 that hates the new G70 design. I have a G12 and I love it both my car's design and the new one, although I have the post-LCI, which at the time created outrage even though IRL, as you know, the owners of BMW 7's get frequent compliments in public.

I'm not here to be some kind of purist. Even if I didn't like the exterior of the G70, and I absolutely do, the interior is a work of art in both form and function. We went to the dealership to drive a demo while we wait for mine to come in and the iDrive system is SO FAST. It's the fastest in car touchscreen system ever. People complain about a lack of buttons, but there's a bar if you want and everything is easily controlled with a voice command system that always works. I've only ever had a Tesla as a Hertz rental but this system just was way above and beyond that, far more intuitive and fast.

The bottom line is that this car represents less than 2% of BMW USA's sales and the disproportionate reaction by people who aren't likely to buy it is clearly driven by some level of xenophobia and some level of entitlement that BMW has to design a car for people who aren't even in the market for a big sedan, instead of for those who are.

[TrafficJam]

Originally Posted by 2021BMW745e

The bottom line is that this car represents less than 2% of BMW USA's sales and the disproportionate reaction by people who aren't likely to buy it is clearly driven by some level of xenophobia and some level of entitlement that BMW has to design a car for people who aren't even in the market for a big sedan, instead of for those who are.

I totally agree

[patrikr]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

It’s not that I think it’s ugly, but I just don’t like the whole aerodynamic as hell but kinda of plain look that they’ve decided they’re going use for the whole line up. I mean it’s a good looking car, but not in a way that inspired a trip to the MB dealer to check it out. I didn’t mean to rain on your(or wife’s)parade. They’re cool cars(call me jealous whenever I see those rear wheels turn 90 damn degrees)and I love any car that takes a sale from Tesla.

I’ve never used the hyperscreen but it looks cool. I just made a joke since some guy was complaining that the G70 had a big tablet for a screen. whereas the new MBUX systems are exactly that, but the non-hyperscreen version looks mounted a bit low for my taste.

Haha, no worries. Style and taste is subjective. I honestly wasn’t a big fan of the EQS look but I was very intrigued by the tech and it was the first real EV alternative to Tesla (I drove Model S and Xs for five years before getting the EQS) so I bought the MB without ever seeing one in person and had it delivered to me. When it showed up at the house I really liked it. I agree with you, any EV sale that take away from Tesla is a good thing and I love how there are finally a few viable alternatives in the higher end of the market.

[TWB]

Having my 7 now for 8 days. The ride is noticeably smoother, quieter, and more solid than the 2020 I turned in. The automatic doors are a bit of a disappointment at this point. Not as responsive as I would have liked. I am giving that some time to evaluate and use. The I drive 8 definitely has a learning curve as well. I have always picked up on new tech rapidly. This is not as easy to adapt as previous systems. Love the interior lighting and the approach lighting with the crystal lights and grille illumination. Again, it has only been a short period and it will take some time. Styling is definitely better in person than the pictures and videos that are available. Cannot imagine anyone not liking the car.