Skywell BE11 review

Nada. Let’s be clear, the only kind of cash you should be handing over for this car is Monopoly money. And even then you’d be better off spending it on a hotel on Old Kent Road.

But hypothetically, let’s say you decide to buy one of these. You have free will, after all. The Standard Range one is £32,995 and the Long Range is £35,995. There are no optional extras, but you’ve a choice of four paint colours: white, grey, black and blue. Estonian flag vibes.

Is that value for money?

Not as far as we’re concerned. Comparable SUVs like the Skoda Enyaq, Renault Scenic, Nissan Ariya and Peugeot e-3008 are all a bit more expensive and a tad smaller than the BE11, so if you want to come up with some price-to-space metric in the Skywell’s favour then don’t let us stop you.

But those cars also promise more range and are vastly more talented in a variety of different ways. We think the minimal extra outlay is worth it.

Message received loud and clear. Any decent kit, at least?

Loads. Standard features include that 12.8in touchscreen, an eight-speaker Metz sound system, wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, automatic air con, front and rear parking sensors plus a reversing camera and 360-degree overhead view, cruise control, keyless entry, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, 19in diamond cut alloy wheels, and an electric tailgate.

No heated seats or steering wheel. You’ll miss those in the winter months, and full reliance on the heater will be an extra burden on the battery and overall range.

Hilariously though, you do get hill descent control. Because greenlaning is exactly what you’ll be doing in a car flummoxed by gentle bends and mild camber.

Anything else?

Notice how we haven’t moaned about ADAS? Because Skywell got the BE11’s red tape sorted a couple of years ago, things like steering assist and speed limit warning aren’t legally required. And it’s actually quite refreshing to drive a new car that doesn’t try to interfere every five seconds.

On the other hand, active safety systems are there for a reason, and beyond a smattering of air bags there isn’t much on the kit list to suggest it’ll match its European rivals’ five-star Euro NCAP ratings.