Back in the late summer of what is now last year, I made a highly unscientific study on secondary values, or the lack thereof, comparing electrical vehicles (EV’s) to internal combustion engines (ICE’s). The conclusion was that all types of cars lose massive amounts of money in the first 2-3 years, with EV’s still losing more than ICE’s on average. There is however one segment of ICE’s that lose value quicker than anything else – the full-size, four-door, luxury sedan.

Big sedans have been unloved for quite a few years, in an inverse relationship to the increasing popularity of SUV’s. You could certainly study the causes at length and draw various conclusions, starting somewhere a few thousand years ago when we still lived in caves. What I mean is that a very small share of the driving population in the Western world has any kind of need for the terrain capabilities of an SUV. They do however prefer the high position, the feeling (and actual) security it gives its passengers, and in many cases, no doubt also the looks and the impression a big SUV conveys to the plebians.

The thing is though, that before we “invented” the modern SUV, those feelings, especially the one of having made it, were conveyed by luxury sedans, and as long as you don’t spend your times on terrain routes in a wood somewhere, that’s clearly the better car type, feelings and instincts put aside. Likewise, from a practicality and traveling perspective, a modern station wagon is also a better choice than an SUV, but again, doesn’t convey the same superiority feelings as an SUV. Who ever claimed humans were rational? Certainly not me – including in this regard, given my old Range that I sold a couple of years ago and still regret to this day.

Speaking of station wagons, shortly after I had bought my 540i Touring, I remember a BMW aficionado telling me that I had made a good choice, since in his words, the 5-series these days is 90% of what a 7-series is. So putting all of this together and perhaps even assuming that given their dismal secondary values, big sedans maybe set for a comeback, I figured it was time to have a closer look at least at one of them, namely said BMW 7-series, and to test the 90% theory for real.

My choice fell on a 2021, G11 7-series, built from 2015 to 2022 with a significant facelift in 2018 that gave it cooler rear lights and a bigger grille. There was a lot of talk about that grille at the time, since it is indeed on the bigger side, but all that was quickly forgotten when BMW presented the current 7-series in 2023 with a grille the size of a barn. It’s of course a matter of taste but I find the post-2018 model the nicest of the bunch, also corresponding to the same technology level as my 5-series.

It’s also of similar size to my 5-series station wagon, at least in the standard version. Many 7-series are sold as “L” for Large or Long, extending them by roughly 30cm to about 5.4 metres, quite a lot for European roads and also quite unnecessary unless you transport dignitaries in the back seat more or less regularly, which I don’t. The standard version therefore makes most sense, and given I was more interested in the car type than the engine, I opted for one for sale close by. As it turned out, it was a 740d, meaning a three-liter, straight six-cylinder diesel engine with 340 hp and 700 Nm of torque.

It seems the engine type was secondary not only to me but also to secondary values, since petrol and diesel trade at similar money, even between smaller and larger engines. Naturally the top of the line, V12 M760i still commands a higher price, however not in percentage compared to its price as new. For the whole range therefore, it means that cars like the one I looked at, being 3-4 years old and with 40-70.000 kms on the clock (55.000 kms in my case), can be had for less than a third of their value as new. It’s difficult not to consider that a bargain! At least in Switzerland, that means that you also have another 30-60.000 kms of free service to look forward to, as new cars sold here from BMW (but also from Audi, Merc and others) come with free service up until 100.000 kms.

If the engine type doesn’t show price-wise in the pre-owned market, it definitely does so when you push the startebutton. I hadn’t driven a diesel for quite a while but on idle, there is still no question the engine burns oil. That said, once you’re at speed, you don’t hear anything from the engine (as you shouldn’t), the 8-speed ZF box harmonizing perfectly and imperceptibly with it. The engine is smooth as silk and the torque is immense, with an acceleration from 70 km/h to illegal speeds leaving very little to wish for. And with that, the 740d will consume about 6.5-7l / 100km on long trips (around 34-36 MPG), which is truly impressive given the power at hand and the 2.2 tons the thing weighs in at.

For obvious reasons, coming from a 540i of the same generation, the car felt very familiar, with some subtle and a few more obvious differences. On the subtle side, there’s a bit more leather here and there, and some switches feel of higher quality. On the whole though, it doesn’t convey the same luxury feel as an S-class does. The car is also slightly quieter than a 5-series, and surprisingly enough, pretty much as good, essentially meaning light-footed, to drive. The big beamer shrinks around you and doesn’t feel big at all, and the steering, which I find a highlight in my 5-series, works just as well here. Comfort mode is softer though, with a corresponding light steer feel, meaning Sport mode would be my standard setting.

The clearer differences are essentially three: firstly the seats, which are oh so plush and comfortable. The leather is of very high quality and the whole seat makes you relax before you reach the first traffic light. The same goes for the backseat I might add, given the car type. Secondly, the 7-series has air suspension, and although the standard springs aren’t bad, there is a clear difference to floating on air cushions. Lastly, the Harman Kardon system in the 7-series adds a few loudspeakers compared to the 5-series system and sounds better. The big brother can also be had with a Bowers & Wilkins high-end system which I would definitely go for, having never experienced a bad-sounding system from B&W.

if you do a lot of long-distance motorway driving, it’s difficult to imagine a better companion for doing so than a 7-series (or I’m sure, a Merc S-class or an Audi A8 for that matter, although the 7-series is more of a driver’s car compared to the other two, especially the S-class, and I personally find it best-looking of the bunch). And although I’m not a diesel fan, the perspective of doing so at 6.5l / 100 km with a 78 liter tank means you wouldn’t see much of the pump either, which is certainly a plus.

With all that said however, the BMW guy was right in terms of the 540i being 90% of a 7-series. The interior is about 90% as good, as are the seats. The sound level is around there as well, as is the suspension and the sound system. What remains, given their similar size, is then the body itself. And even if the 7-series has a huge boot and a ski trap, a station wagon will always win in practicality. Where it looses however is in the prestige department, where a luxury sedan will always beat a station wagon.

To me, that makes the 7-series a 10% car, which doesn’t sound very flattering. The question is really whether to value practicality or prestige higher. Seen on its own, the big Beamer is a fantastic travel companion that you’ll actually enjoy driving on roads which are not highways as well, whilst enjoying the sublime comfort only a true luxury, air-sprung limo gives you. And at current prices, it’s definitely a bargain.

Whether you prefer it to an SUV is a personal choice, but there’s no doubt it’s the better car type of the two for the type of driving and travelling most people do. And should you be in the market for a 5-series sedan (other than the M5…), you should definitely give the 7-series a try before deciding. I would claim it gives far more bang for your buck than the little extra it will cost you. The envious looks that come along with it are then for free!