► Skywell has updated the BE11 SUV for 2026…
► … but it hasn’t mended any of its biggest problems
► Still, at least there’s a new ambient lighting system
Skywell hasn’t had the best start in the UK. Its only car – the BE11 – received dismal reviews from our motoring press, which resulted in catastrophically poor sales. Only 30 British citizens were brave enough to put one on their driveway. So, to try and turn that performance around, Skywell has launched a new and improved version of the car for 2026.
The trouble is, Skywell’s updates haven’t really addressed the reasons why buyers were avoiding the BE11. This revised model gets more safety technology and cabin trinketry rather than improved chassis calibration and better build quality. However, Skywell has also dropped the car’s starting price by £5,000 to £31,990, which might be enough to excuse these shortcomings. I’m sceptical, but I’m always willing to be proved wrong.
For now, though, here are the changes. Inside, every model now gets heated and cooled front seats, driver lumbar adjustment, a couple of extra USB-C charging ports, a cabin air quality monitoring system and a 128-colour customisable ambient lighting system.
You can also now specify a 15.6-inch infotainment screen as an optional extra. If you’re in the market for a BE11, though, I’d suggest you avoid it. To quote my esteemed colleague, Mr. Seth Walton, the car’s standard 12.8-inch screen is already ‘comically big’ – so I expect this new screen will make the cabin feel like a branch of Currys.
The BE11’s improved safety kit list includes adaptive cruise control (in place of the old car’s standard cruise control), automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and haptic sensors in the wheel that can detect when you’ve taken your hands off the wheel.
They’re the same as before. You get a single electric motor mounted on the front axle and a choice of two battery packs. The motor produces 201bhp and 236lb ft of torque, while the batteries weigh in a 72kWh and 86kWh. Maximum official range stands at 248 miles for the small battery model and 303 miles for the flagship.
Skywell hasn’t yet confirmed the performance of the updated BE11, but it should sport the same 9.6-second 0–62mph time and 93mph top speed as the outgoing model. It’s also worth noting that DC charge times are quite slow at just 80kW, compared to the 150kW of the Renault Scenic and Volkswagen ID.4. Granted, the Skywell is considerably cheaper than both these cars, but I think I’d rather pay a bit extra for the greater convenience
Will Skywell’s changes be enough to make one of the UK’s least recommendable cars serviceable? We’ll let you know once we’ve tested it. And I’d be interested to hear your thoughts about it in the comments section below.
Luke is the Deputy Editor of our sister site Parkers, but he spends plenty of time writing news, reviews and features for CAR. He's been a motoring journalist since 2018, learning his craft on the Auto Express news desk before joining the Parkers/CAR team in 2022. When he isn't yoked to his laptop, he's tearing his hair out over his classic Mini restoration project or pinballing around the country attending heavy metal gigs.
By Luke Wilkinson
Deputy Editor of Parkers. Unhealthy obsession with classic Minis and old Alfas. Impenetrable Cumbrian accent