Who would’ve thought that natural light could play such an important role in your commute? It’s easy to let natural light into the cabin, adding warmth and bringing sweeping sky views to your passengers when you drive the BMW X7.

This SUV comes standard with a Panoramic Glass Roof that helps make the cabin feel larger than life. If you want to take it up a notch, you can upgrade to the available Panoramic Sky Lounge LED Roof that changes colors for a nighttime light show.

Over in the Lexus LX, you’ll find a power tilt-and-slide moonroof, though it doesn’t offer the same expansive feel or a comparable upgrade to the Panoramic Sky Lounge LED Roof.

The moment you take the driver’s seat, you’ll realize that every inch of the X7 and the LX were meticulously crafted to exceed your expectations. Real wood accent trim surrounds the cabin, adding an elegant and sophisticated touch.

While this trim is found standard with both models, the BMW X7 provides more options than the LX, which only offers two different wood options. The X7, on the other hand, offers six different wood trim options and two additional selections.

Under the hood of the BMW X7, you can choose from two roaring engines:

• Standard 3.0L BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder (X7 xDrive40i): 375 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque
• Available 4.4L BMW M TwinPower Turbo V-8 (X7 M60i): 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.

The Lexus LX has one 3.4L V6 twin-turbo engine that delivers 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. While this is impressive, it falls short of the capabilities of the BMW X7.

BMW has a rich history in motorsports. As a BMW X7 driver, you’ll notice several race-inspired elements, including:

• 8-speed sport automatic transmission
• Sport and Manual shift mode
• Steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters
• Launch Control button

Manual shift mode is a great feature to have, as it helps you feel more engaged with your commute by putting you in charge of all the performance controls. Launch Control, another fan favorite, optimizes performance from an idle position, ensuring you’ll always get an impressive and competitive start.

The Lexus LX also features paddle shifters; however, it doesn't offer an engaging manual shift option.

Drivers who want maximum acceleration and the ability to switch to Manual shift mode will find it all in the BMW X7.

Bring your favorite songs along for the ride by connecting your smartphone via Apple CarPlay® or Android Auto™. Want to stream music without using your phone’s data? Both SUVs come standard with built-in WiFi Hotspot capabilities.

While there are similarities between these models, the X7 goes above and beyond thanks to the inclusion of these features:

• BMW Curved Display with more than 27 inches of display screens
• 1-year Platinum Plan subscription to SiriusXM® with 360L
• 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System

Those who seek an immersive entertainment experience with access to more features should turn to the X7.

Extending beyond entertainment, the BMW X7 and the Lexus LX come standard with driver-assist technology that helps keep you safe. Using cameras and sensors, these features monitor your surroundings and alert you to potential hazards you may have missed.

While features like Frontal Collision Warning and Active Blind Spot Detection come standard with both luxury models, only on the BMW X7 do you gain access to the available Parking Assistance Package.

When equipped, simply press a button to have your X7 steer into a parking space. You’ll find a similar feature with the LX; however, only the X7 can remember parking maneuvers. Once a maneuver is performed and saved, the X7 can remember and repeat this whenever requested.