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Hi U235
I'm copying a post I made elsewhere comparing the x7 and the ix. Hope some of the above is useful for you
Imagine you are large and heavy and you are about to fall down to one side
Suddenly you realize someone behind you is holding you firmly by the shoulders in a firm grip and you don't move/fall and stay straight and steady.
I am describing the executive drive pro suspension with active anti roll bars and rear wheel steering its a revelation.
I cant imagine what I have been missing in the past few years as this is my 1st car with this and the control is better than the X5 by miles. I have driven an X7 without this suspension and in the corners and roundabouts the lean was much more perceptible.
This car is different. Combined with the rear wheel steering manoeuvring is effortless. It feels responsive and quick to turn overall. I would put it on par with the IX.
The road /tyre noise is slightly better supressed than the IX itself is very quiet this is quieter still. The wind noise is perhaps a bit more audible than the IX.
There is NO engine noise once the speed is up to 30mph ie like driving an electric car. When revving to get to 30 or when revving to overtake you can hear the engine and I'm not a fan of this but this does NOT have the msport exhaust which I used to hate as it would play exhaust sound in the cabin who wants this in a lux SUV. In some ways once up to speed Its difficult to know if you are in the IX or the X7.
The interior merino and seats are on a level above and the materials and fit is better than the IX. The seats are larger and there is though support which is great and also the massage is better in the X7 than the IX.
The Idrive 7 is better/perfect, not a fan of the idrive 8 touch screenery on the IX.
The suspension of the IX on steel springs has zero boatiness especially in the highways the X7 has a slight boaty feel on undulations and IX behaves as a spring suspension car should but absorbs the bumps so well its like air but without the boatiness.
Broken roads IX handles equally well if not better no transmitted noises in the cabin/jitteriness in either.
Big potholes and sharp speed breakers again IX on spring handles it better 'shrugs them away' cannot even feel you have encountered it though in the X7 you can hear the thud.
Overall the lean of the IX and X7 and the manoeuvrability and the feel of the size of the car and COG etc feels the same. The steel springs in the IX for me win for overall comfort and the interior fit and finish of the X7 wins.
I'm loving both perhaps the IX more so as its got no engine. Mrs on the other hand likes the X7 more and the sounds and the grunt from under the hood and as she calls it 'a proper car and not a golf buggy'. Happy days as we both are using what we like.
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