Should you buy one?

There is a case to made for the Skywell BE11. The sheer volume of back seat space certainly appeals, as does the generous serving of standard equipment. We like the lack of a confusing trim level hierarchy, the Long Range model has a usefully, err, long range. And there’s no denying that it’s fantastic value for money, undercutting every similarly-specced rivals by a big margin – though lower-spec versions of better cars are available for similar money.

But there are too many deficiencies for us to give it a ringing endorsement. The driving experience isn’t good enough, the infotainment system is too fiddly, it doesn’t feel the quality product it looks like, there are lots of details that haven’t been fully thought through.

This is all largely true of the BE11’s Chinese rivals but their makers learn quickly and we suspect Skywell will, as well. As for the established competition, the Renault Scenic – Parkers’ car of the year for 2025 – is the best all-rounder in the mid-size electric family SUV sector. Though the Skoda Enyaq runs its close and is the one to go for if you need a big boot. Meanwhile, the Ford Explorer offers the most rewarding driving experience.

What we like

The selection of colours and textures used throughout the interior looks lovely, a standard-fit opening panoramic roof is rare at any price and great to have, there’s so much space in the back seat.

What we don’t like

It’s such a disappointment the interior doesn’t have the quality to back up its style, the infotainment system may cause mild fury, and why on Earth do you have to unplug a cable to fold the back seat flat?