I have very little room between the tire and the wheel well also and the inside of my wells has the hard black plastic liners.
I've been really pleased with the long handled bathroom toilet bowl brush. The plastic bristles are in a loop style. I can't push the bristles straight in because I don't have enough clearance.
After spritzing the wheel well, I start below the body and bring the brush up into the well. Once inside, the handle clears the body and the tire without problem and I agitate to my heart's content. I bring the brush out the other side of the well, under the body again.
Nice and easy. Quick and cheap. This plastic loop toilet bowl brush works very well with hard plastic well inserts, maybe too harsh for delicate fiber/carpet type inserts.
-John C.