BMW 7-Series: Judging for 2016 Wards 10 Best Interiors

We have to admit we were among the skeptics when we first heard of BMW’s industry-first gesture controls.

But after just a few minutes of pointing, twirling and swiping in the cabin of the ’16 BMW 750i we found these innovative human-machine interface controls a natural way of controlling the radio, rejecting incoming phone calls and doing all sorts of stuff.

There’s more technology than ever in the car, as well as an impressive array of buttons, knobs and displays throughout, but the layout still is simple and easy to understand.

And, more than one editor pointed out that BMW’s iDrive central controller now complements the driving experience rather than detracting from it.

As you would expect in a sedan with a sticker price of almost $130,000, our test car was loaded with the most advanced driver-assist and safety features available, including automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and night vision.

The Active Cruise Control operates in a dependable and predictable fashion’ and the active steering-assist feature does an impressive job keeping the car between the lines if you take your hands off the wheel for 15 or 20 seconds.

In terms of traditional luxury, BMW’s design is a bit more restrained than some of its 6-figure competitors.

But instead of dripping chrome everywhere, it offers gorgeous ambient lighting with six different colors that create dramatic interior effects.

And the car really delivers luxury in the second row with the $5,750 Executive Lounge Seating package where the passenger-side rear seat reclines dramatically and has a footrest.

Both rear seats are ventilated as well as heated, and give several types of back massages, which can be controlled by a detachable tablet computer in the armrest.

Fit-and-finish and overall build quality is impeccable.

As one editor puts it: “Everything here is done with precision and purpose, without forgetting that a huge part of that purpose is maximum comfort and convenience.” (See related story: [email protected]

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