Compare the2024 BMW 7 SeriesVS 2023 Tesla Model S

The 7 Series’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model S doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 7 Series are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model S doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 7 Series has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The 7 Series has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model S doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 7 Series has a standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 7 Series xDrive’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model S doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 7 Series offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model S only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 7 Series’ standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engage the brakes. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The 7 Series has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the 7 Series and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 7 Series for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model S.

There are over 2 times as many BMW dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 7 Series’ warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 7 Series’ reliability 25 points higher than the Model S.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 65 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 19th.

For better stopping power the 760i’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model S:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 7 Series has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Model S.

The 7 Series 760i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model S doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 760i offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model S.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 7 Series’ wheelbase is 10.1 inches longer than on the Model S (126.6 inches vs. 116.5 inches).

The 760i xDrive handles at .89 G’s, while the Model S pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The 740i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Model S (26 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 7 Series’ turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Model S’ (39.7 feet vs. 40.3 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 760i xDrive is quieter than the Model S Plaid (65 vs. 67 dB).

The 7 Series has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 7.8 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model S.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the 7 Series’ available rear seats recline. The Model S’ rear seats don’t recline.

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release in the glovebox, the 7 Series offers cargo security. The Model S’ hatchback body style and non-lockable folding seat defeat cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 7 Series’ trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

A Condition-Based Service Display is standard on the 7 Series to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, brake fluid replacement, and vehicle inspections, based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model S.

The 7 Series’ entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model S has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model S, the 7 Series has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The 7 Series has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 7 Series’ power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model S’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The 7 Series’ standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the 7 Series has standard extendable sun visors. The Model S doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the 7 Series to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the 7 Series’ passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Model S doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The 7 Series offers optional massaging front and rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model S.

The 7 Series is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Model S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 7 Series first among upper midsize premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Model S isn’t in the top three.