SMMT Test Day 2026 was a blast!

SMMT Test Day 2026 started with a short drive from a Premier Inn in Milton Keynes over to the legendary Millbrook Proving Grounds - one of the most important automotive testing facilities in the UK, and somewhere I’ve wanted to properly experience for years.

For those unfamiliar with it, Millbrook is enormous. Hidden away in Bedfordshire, the site covers more than 700 acres and is home to everything from high-speed bowls and hill routes to rough-road durability tracks and specialist EV and battery testing facilities. Manufacturers use Millbrook to develop, validate, and torture-test vehicles long before the public ever gets to see them. For one day each year, though, the SMMT opens the gates for Test Day - giving media the chance to experience hundreds of vehicles in one place.

The SMMT - the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders — represents the UK automotive industry and Test Day has become one of the biggest events in the calendar for journalists, creators and manufacturers alike. It’s an opportunity to drive the latest cars back-to-back, meet the people behind them and catch up with the wider industry.

For me personally, this year included a genuine bucket list moment - getting behind the wheel of the Mercedes eActros 600 electric HGV… complete with a 45-foot trailer attached to the back. It turns out driving a fully electric artic around Millbrook is slightly different to reviewing hatchbacks on YouTube. At one point the instructor, perhaps not entirely convinced by my lorry-driving talents, said: “Whatever you currently do for a living, I suggest you keep doing that.” Fair comment.

There were slightly more successful moments elsewhere during the day, including some proper runs on the hill course in the incredible Hyundai IONIQ 6 N (yes, it’s exceptionally good), along with seat time in the Maserati GranTurismo - which I also managed to take out onto Millbrook’s famous high-speed bowl. Driving a Maserati at pace around one of the most iconic test circuits in the country is definitely one of those “this job is ridiculous sometimes” moments.

But honestly, the best part of SMMT Test Day isn’t always the cars themselves.

For smaller creators and independent channels like DefinitelyNotAGuru, events like this matter massively. They provide a rare chance to spend proper face-to-face time with manufacturers, PR teams, industry contacts, friends and colleagues - all in one place. Relationships matter in this industry, especially when your channel is built around honesty rather than simply saying yes to everything. Maintaining those industry connections is important not only for my own sanity, but also to make sure brands continue trusting us with access to the cars you want to see on the channel.

It’s also pretty fabulous to mix with other people who do the same thing for a living; the world of YouTube can be particularly frustrating and it’s unlikely anyone in your usual social circles has any idea of what you actually do or some of the hurdles you need to overcome so it’s always great to chat (and laugh a lot) with your peers.

In fact, I ended up leaving well after “kicking out time,” still trying to squeeze in conversations with people I simply hadn’t managed to catch during the normal operating hours. That probably says everything about both the scale of the event and its value.

This was my 4th SMMT Test Day, I believe, and a first for my amazing colleague Graeme Cobb - I think it’s fair to say we both had a blast.

Huge thanks to all at SMMT and massive apologies to all of those forced to suffer my appalling humour.

SMMT Test Day isn’t just about driving the latest cars. It’s about the people, the conversations and the opportunities that keep the industry moving.