Familiarity breeds contempt, as the saying goes.

And it seems like the same applies to this writer. You see, a not inconsiderable number of years at this job has inculcated within yours truly a rather carefree approach to performing these test drives. I can't keep track of the number of times I've been tasked to draft a story for a Cat A-friendly variant of a car I've already driven just a few months before, or to do the same when the car has received new touches that are isolated to a refresh of its lights and infotainment system.

But this AVATR 11 has managed to catch me completely off guard.

The AVATR 11 comes with some quirky design touches including a strange head light arrangement and an unusual rear section

Radically different

I should have known better. I mean, look at it!

If you're in the market for something that looks unlike any other car on the road, this AVATR 11 should be right up your alley.

A few of the car's more distinctive design choices are worth listing here: Starting from the peculiar arrangement of its daytime running lights, to the ute-like fashion in which its body wraps around the car's near vertical rear windscreen, and when you step into its cabin, there's a strange vortex-shaped element that rests behind infotainment screen.

Forget about looking at what the competitors are doing (or what other cars look like for that matter), the designers over at AVATR seem to have taken inspiration directly from the alien craft of the Halo video game franchise.

The AVATR 11 comes with Brembo brakes alongside ventilated and massaging front seats

Rather strange

And it offers a rather alien driving experience as well.

First thing you'll need to note about this AVATR 11 is that all that instantaneous torque associated with electric cars is completely absent here. Push the go faster pedal of the AVATR 11 right into the carpet from a rolling pace (an easy feat when there's only half the pedal travel you typically find in other vehicles) and the car only manages to pull away in a leisurely fashion. Changing the car into its 'Sport' drive mode hardly seems to alleviate matters.

Don't get me wrong, there's power to be had: Keep that pedal pinned and the speedometer will eventually show a faster change of digits. But this just isn't the car that you will find yourself pulling out into arterials or aggressively jostling for space at the zipper merge in the way that you're able to in other electric vehicles.

The AVATR 11's infotainment system is intuitive to use, and the car also features an interesting 256-colour ambient lighting system

And then there's the AVATR's pedestrian acoustic warning system. In other cars, the system is simply content to hum a monotonous tone, but this AVATR insists on playing a little tune - a feature that's whimsical at best, and at worst just outright embarrassing, especially when you come to a gentle stop at a busy pedestrian crossing and are met with a sea of incredulous faces.

It's a good thing, then, that plenty of the other benefits associated with electric cars are present here. There's plenty of leg room at the rear, and you and your passengers are very well isolated from wind and road noise in this AVATR 11, so quiet rides are assured.

Keeping to a reasonable pace in this AVATR 11 saw us reaching an energy economy close to 5.6km/kWh, which exceeds the car's official stated energy economy of 4.6km/kWh. And the ride here is pleasantly set to deliver high comfort. 

There's a flat floor and good levels of leg and knee room for rear passengers in the AVATR 11

And all a little peculiar

Which means you'll have plenty of opportunities to soak in the excellent cabin of this electric SUV.

And it is a space you'll want to find yourself in. The Nappa leather seats here are not only visually intriguing but offer a right balance between support and soft cushioning, a nice treat when so many Chinese-branded cars seem to lean heavily into the latter.

The AVATR's 15.6-inch infotainment system also proved intuitive and responsive enough, although my colleague complained that the additional 10.25-inch screen ahead of the front passenger seat is positioned too deep within the dashboard to be within easy reach.

But there's plenty else that delights in the cabin of this AVATR 11. The feature list includes highlights such as ventilated front and rear seats (with those at the front offering a massage function), automatically opening and closing doors, a 256-colour ambient lighting system at wraps around the vortex element on the dashboard, a 25-speaker Meridian sound system, and up top, there's even a sunroof for good measure.

Looking for something different? This machine will ensure that you stand out in any carpark

But still a great option

So, is this all enough to make it worth its price? Pick this 'Long Range' variant of the AVATR 11 and it could be yours from $323,999, although there is a 'Standard Range' variant with a 90kWh battery that starts from just $298,999 and only loses the powered doors and comes with slightly smaller rims.

If you must have a coupe SUV, those prices significantly undercut the $342,000 'Long Range Single Motor' variant of the Polestar 4, which comes with a 100kWh battery but offers less power (all prices as of 10 September 2025, inclusive of COE).

And interestingly, the parallels between both cars extend beyond their common body style and all-electric drivetrains: Both also sport distinctive design features that are sure to be talking points for all coming along for the ride.

You could argue, of course, that Polestar is a marginally more established brand here in Singapore. But for those looking for something truly distinctive and completely unfamiliar - this AVATR is going to be very hard to beat.

Looking for an all-electric SUV? You won't want to miss these reviews:

The BMW iX2 combines standout styling with a sweet drive

There's also the Skoda Enyaq RS to consider, with its bold design and considerable power output

The Nissan Ariya, meanwhile, combines an efficient drivetrain with a premium cabin

Familiarity breeds contempt, as the saying goes.

And it seems like the same applies to this writer. You see, a not inconsiderable number of years at this job has inculcated within yours truly a rather carefree approach to performing these test drives. I can't keep track of the number of times I've been tasked to draft a story for a Cat A-friendly variant of a car I've already driven just a few months before, or to do the same when the car has received new touches that are isolated to a refresh of its lights and infotainment system.

But this AVATR 11 has managed to catch me completely off guard.

The AVATR 11 comes with some quirky design touches including a strange head light arrangement and an unusual rear section

Radically different

I should have known better. I mean, look at it!

If you're in the market for something that looks unlike any other car on the road, this AVATR 11 should be right up your alley.

A few of the car's more distinctive design choices are worth listing here: Starting from the peculiar arrangement of its daytime running lights, to the ute-like fashion in which its body wraps around the car's near vertical rear windscreen, and when you step into its cabin, there's a strange vortex-shaped element that rests behind infotainment screen.

Forget about looking at what the competitors are doing (or what other cars look like for that matter), the designers over at AVATR seem to have taken inspiration directly from the alien craft of the Halo video game franchise.

The AVATR 11 comes with Brembo brakes alongside ventilated and massaging front seats

Rather strange

And it offers a rather alien driving experience as well.

First thing you'll need to note about this AVATR 11 is that all that instantaneous torque associated with electric cars is completely absent here. Push the go faster pedal of the AVATR 11 right into the carpet from a rolling pace (an easy feat when there's only half the pedal travel you typically find in other vehicles) and the car only manages to pull away in a leisurely fashion. Changing the car into its 'Sport' drive mode hardly seems to alleviate matters.

Don't get me wrong, there's power to be had: Keep that pedal pinned and the speedometer will eventually show a faster change of digits. But this just isn't the car that you will find yourself pulling out into arterials or aggressively jostling for space at the zipper merge in the way that you're able to in other electric vehicles.

The AVATR 11's infotainment system is intuitive to use, and the car also features an interesting 256-colour ambient lighting system

And then there's the AVATR's pedestrian acoustic warning system. In other cars, the system is simply content to hum a monotonous tone, but this AVATR insists on playing a little tune - a feature that's whimsical at best, and at worst just outright embarrassing, especially when you come to a gentle stop at a busy pedestrian crossing and are met with a sea of incredulous faces.

It's a good thing, then, that plenty of the other benefits associated with electric cars are present here. There's plenty of leg room at the rear, and you and your passengers are very well isolated from wind and road noise in this AVATR 11, so quiet rides are assured.

Keeping to a reasonable pace in this AVATR 11 saw us reaching an energy economy close to 5.6km/kWh, which exceeds the car's official stated energy economy of 4.6km/kWh. And the ride here is pleasantly set to deliver high comfort. 

There's a flat floor and good levels of leg and knee room for rear passengers in the AVATR 11

And all a little peculiar

Which means you'll have plenty of opportunities to soak in the excellent cabin of this electric SUV.

And it is a space you'll want to find yourself in. The Nappa leather seats here are not only visually intriguing but offer a right balance between support and soft cushioning, a nice treat when so many Chinese-branded cars seem to lean heavily into the latter.

The AVATR's 15.6-inch infotainment system also proved intuitive and responsive enough, although my colleague complained that the additional 10.25-inch screen ahead of the front passenger seat is positioned too deep within the dashboard to be within easy reach.

But there's plenty else that delights in the cabin of this AVATR 11. The feature list includes highlights such as ventilated front and rear seats (with those at the front offering a massage function), automatically opening and closing doors, a 256-colour ambient lighting system at wraps around the vortex element on the dashboard, a 25-speaker Meridian sound system, and up top, there's even a sunroof for good measure.

Looking for something different? This machine will ensure that you stand out in any carpark

But still a great option

So, is this all enough to make it worth its price? Pick this 'Long Range' variant of the AVATR 11 and it could be yours from $323,999, although there is a 'Standard Range' variant with a 90kWh battery that starts from just $298,999 and only loses the powered doors and comes with slightly smaller rims.

If you must have a coupe SUV, those prices significantly undercut the $342,000 'Long Range Single Motor' variant of the Polestar 4, which comes with a 100kWh battery but offers less power (all prices as of 10 September 2025, inclusive of COE).

And interestingly, the parallels between both cars extend beyond their common body style and all-electric drivetrains: Both also sport distinctive design features that are sure to be talking points for all coming along for the ride.

You could argue, of course, that Polestar is a marginally more established brand here in Singapore. But for those looking for something truly distinctive and completely unfamiliar - this AVATR is going to be very hard to beat.

Looking for an all-electric SUV? You won't want to miss these reviews:

The BMW iX2 combines standout styling with a sweet drive

There's also the Skoda Enyaq RS to consider, with its bold design and considerable power output

The Nissan Ariya, meanwhile, combines an efficient drivetrain with a premium cabin