It can often feel as though the UK car market is awash with one SUV after another — but that's not entirely the case. A timely reminder of this comes courtesy of the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) annual test day, held at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, where journalists and content creators get the chance to get behind the wheel of the latest models in all shapes and sizes.
Some of the cars are brand new, some are nearly there, some are used, some are quick, some are sluggish, some are brilliant, some are decent, and some are none of the above. It's a chance for motoring journalists to get to grips with a new model or reacquaint themselves with a familiar one. Making my way to Millbrook in my beloved MINI — in my view one of the finest used cars to drive — I managed to get behind the wheel of 15 cars in total. Here's what I reckon was the very best and the very worst, reports the Express.
15th: Aion V - £36,450
The Aion V is a brand new SUV from China, retailing from around £36,000. It proved tricky to get a proper feel for at the SMMT Test Day, partly because I wasn't able to take it out on the Alpine Handling Course — so there's a small asterisk attached to this verdict. That said, on the city course it stopped, steered and moved as you'd hope a family SUV would. It felt soft and came with a generous boot, but overall I was left with more questions than answers.
Rating: 4/10*
*Unable to take it on the alpine handling course unlike the others.
14th: Smart #1 - £29,960
Growing up in the late-1990s and early-2000s, Smarts were compact and ingenious little motors. The Four Two, Four Four and the gorgeous Smart Roadsters with their tiny engines all hold a fond place in the memory. This #1 is a smallish electric SUV that proves trickier to live with than comparable models — largely down to its enormous touchscreen. It's not as enjoyable to drive either, and comes with a key that can't be attached to a key ring.
It features regenerative braking, but it kicks in at the most inconvenient moments, such as mid-corner. On the plus side, it's a handsome-looking machine and won't break the bank quite as much as some rivals — but more physical buttons wouldn't go amiss.
Rating: 5/10
13th: Jaecoo E5 - £27,505
The last time I got behind the wheel of the Jaecoo E5 at the Goodwood Media Day earlier this year, I came away underwhelmed. The ride felt particularly harsh, as though the suspension had little give. It looked, felt, and drove exactly as cheap as it was. However, the E5 I sampled at the SMMT Media Day was a completely different beast — noticeably better damping, greater feel, and a much more solid sense of build quality. Not a class leader by any means, but a marked step forward.
Rating: 6/10
12th: Chery Tiggo 9 - £43,105
Having got behind the wheel of the Chery Tiggo 8 and come away somewhat underwhelmed, I was prepared for what the Chery Tiggo 9 might deliver. I'd been informed by someone that it was the firm's flagship model. With the Jaecoo 7 flying off forecourts, it's got to be something special. It's decent, but it's not outstanding. Ultimately, it's a large, plush, and cosy box that handles, brakes, and turns. Admittedly not a towering benchmark, but it genuinely feels solidly constructed and considerably more polished than I'd anticipated.
Rating: 6/10
11th: Jaecoo 7 - £29,210
I harbour a quiet, perhaps even hushed now I've put it in writing, respect for the Jaecoo 7. Branded the 'Temu Range Rover', it's become something of a fixture on British roads — the first Chinese motor to achieve that status, I'd argue. In all honesty, it caught me off guard. It felt, and this isn't meant as a slight, reminiscent of an old Land Rover Freelander, and that was an enjoyable car to pilot. The Jaecoo 7 is broad, yet sports a compact wheelbase, though it doesn't try to catch you out. Like other Chinese SUVs, and indeed SUVs generally, there was a touch of understeer, yet it handled bends better than its chart-topping rival the Ford Puma.
Rating: 7/10
10th: Peugeot 308 SW - £31,195
Sometimes all you want is something reassuring, comfortable, and unfussy. A non-electric estate car is precisely that. Fortunately, so is the Peugeot 308 SW. It delivers solid performance, sits low to the ground, and boasts a generously sized boot that should swallow up most of the gear a family could possibly need. One minor gripe I noticed was that positioning the seat and steering wheel to suit my driving style caused the top of the wheel to obscure the instrument binnacle — the cluster housing your speedometer and other vital information. It's hardly a dealbreaker given the overall package, just worth flagging. I'd previously got behind the wheel of a faster saloon version of this car, and it ranked among the finest vehicles I drove throughout 2024.
Rating: 7/10
9th: MG Cyberster
Now here's something you don't stumble across every day — an electric two-seat convertible sports car complete with scissor doors. Built by Anglo-Chinese manufacturer MG, it successfully captures something of the spirit of 1960s/70s motoring — when MG was celebrated for producing the MG B and MG B GT — while offering modern-day reliability. In all honesty, this meant the outer wheels felt slightly soft when pushed hard through corners, though given the state of Britain's pothole-riddled roads, that's perhaps no bad thing. The scissor doors and all the theatre surrounding them felt somewhat gimmicky, but that does nothing to diminish the sheer enjoyment of driving the MG.
Rating: 7/10
8th: Nissan Micra - £21,495
The Nissan Micra has been a familiar sight on our roads for decades, and the latest version shares its platform with the genuinely impressive Renault 5. Don't be fooled into thinking it's simply a Renault in disguise, though, even if some of the controls will feel familiar. While the new Nissan inherits the Renault's agility, chassis balance and powertrain, it sets itself apart by being somewhat more relaxed in its character. That's no bad thing, mind you — it's refreshing that despite sharing a platform, the two cars possess distinctly different personalities. A solid effort, and it'll be interesting to see whether buyers agree come sales time.
Rating: 7.5/10
7th: BMW Z4 - Around £45,000
Aside from my own vehicle, this was the sole car fitted with a manual gearbox that I got behind the wheel of throughout the entire Test Day. One of the finest qualities of a manual gearbox is that it demands greater concentration and involvement from the driver than most other cars. To truly extract the best from a manual, whether for performance or efficiency, you need to think carefully about every gear change. Despite its weighty clutch and slightly awkwardly positioned pedals, the BMW Z4 proved a thoroughly enjoyable drive and a welcome reminder that genuinely rewarding driver's cars still exist. Its low kerb weight and potent engine also had the laws of physics firmly on its side. That said, if I were spending my own money, I'd opt for its coupé sibling, the Toyota Supra.
Rating: 7.5/10
6th: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N - £65,800
When the Hyundai Ioniq 5 first launched, many observers felt it bore a striking resemblance, from the side, to the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale — only larger. That iconic and stunning Italian motor went on to dominate the World Rally Championship. Having now got behind the wheel of the N version of the Ioniq 5, I find myself curious as to how a variant of this car fitted with a pair of slick tyres would fare against Lancia's current Rally 2 contender. It grips and grips and grips through the corners, flat as a pancake in an almost Terminator-like fashion. There's enormous pleasure to be had driving a car as glued to the tarmac, and so determined to defy the laws of physics, as this one.
Rating: 8/10
5th: Kia PV5 - £32,995
The Kia PV5 is an electric MPV — and there aren't many of those about. What it is, however, is absolutely brilliant; so impressive, in fact, that I crowned it the best electric car I drove all day at the SMMT Test Day in a recent piece. It handles superbly, it's wonderfully practical, and it doesn't lean excessively through corners. If you've got a large family to ferry around, it's well worth considering. It looks the part, too, which never hurts.
Rating: 8.1/10
4th: Maserati Granturismo - £191,820
The priciest and most powerful machine on this list, the Maserati was an absolute blast. I adored its agile feel, its urgency, and sheer excitement. Aside from keeping a close eye on that low front end, it was an utter delight.
Rating: 8/10
3rd: Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid - £18,995
With the likes of the Citroën Ami (admittedly a quadricycle, but bear with me), the Picanto, the returning Citroën 2CV, the potential comeback of the Ford Fiesta, and the continued production of the MINI Cooper Hatch, small cars appear to be staging a real comeback. Those models, both current and forthcoming, will have their work cut out matching the Fiat Panda Hybrid in demonstrating that a compact, practical car with a modest engine can be this impressive.
Rating: 8.5/10
2nd: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio - £87,056
The Giulia Quadrifoglio has always held a special place in my heart. It's a car that reminds me that vehicles can be more than just an escape — they can be a place to think, sometimes in life-changing ways. Yet even from a purely objective, mechanical perspective, it's a car that feels nimble, is tremendous fun to drive, and an absolute delight. It serves as a reminder of what we stand to lose should the world fall silent and the combustion engine disappear altogether. We need more cars like this — bravo to Alfa Romeo for keeping it in their line-up.
Rating: 8.5/10
1st: Honda Civic eHEV - £35,945
The Honda wins this contest convincingly, largely thanks to the combination of its outstanding handling and its clever powertrain. Few cars I've driven handle this well, this precisely, this responsively. It inspires real confidence, and you quickly forget that the petrol engine and hybrid system are performing an intricate dance beneath the bonnet. Being a reasonably sizeable hatchback, it's wonderfully practical too.
Rating: 9/10
