Nissan to invest £170m in production of new Kicks hybrid crossover at Sunderland plant

The Nissan Kicks, a B-segment crossover featuring Nissan’s e‑POWER hybrid technology, will be manufactured at Nissan's plant in Sunderland alongside models already assembled at the facility including the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf.

The second-generation Kicks model is currently built in Japan, Mexico and Brazil for sale around the world. In total, more than 1.8 million Kicks vehicles have been sold across more than 70 countries. Marking the model’s European debut, Nissan has said that this announcement ensures that Nissan continues to offer a variety of electrified powertrains to suit all customer needs. 

Massimiliano Messina, Nissan chairperson for the Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region described the announcement as "fantastic news" for Europe and said it demonstrates the agility and speed with which the automaker can bring new models to new markets.

The Kicks will be the 10th model to be built at Nissan's Sunderland plant, which in 2026 is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its opening. An e-power hybrid version of the Qashqai is already produced at the Sunderland plant, with Nissan planning to build on this experience when producing the new Kicks – targeting customers on the UK, Europe and Turkey.

Nissan will also build the third-generation Juke – which will be the first 100% electric version of this model – in Sunderland.

The Kicks announcement follows news that Nissan is set to build a new A-segment EV "in Europe, for Europe". This new compact EV, named the Pixo, is due to be unveiled on September 23, 2026. Although it has confirmed the Pixo will be built in Europe, Nissan has not yet confirmed at which plant the model will be built.

A commitment to UK automotive manufacturing

The investment in the Sunderland plant has been welcomed by senior figures in the UK automotive industry.

"Nissan has been at the heart of British manufacturing for four decades, with Sunderland producing millions of vehicles that supported thousands of skilled jobs and helped establish the North East as a global automotive powerhouse," said Jonathan Reynolds, the UK's secretary of state for business and trade. "The decision to build this new model in Sunderland is a huge vote of confidence in the UK's manufacturing expertise and automotive future."

Alongside government support for the move, Mike Hawes, chief executive of the society for motor manufacturers and traders (SMMT) described the news as "a major boost for Nissan Sunderland" and "another vote of confidence in UK automotive manufacturing". He said the decisions strengthens support for the thousands of highly skilled jobs Nissan's plant in Sunderland supports and the wider local supply chain.

Nissan currently employs around 7,000 people across the UK, at its Sunderland plants as well as its design centre in Paddington and its R&D engineering centre in Cranfield.

“The UK sector has the fundamental strengths to secure growth, but to unlock that potential, we must continue to strengthen our competitiveness – supporting a healthy market, tackling the high cost of business, especially energy and additional employment costs – and ensuring trade works for manufacturers," added Hawes. "Do this and yet more companies will choose to build the next generation of vehicles here in Britain.”

Nissan's September 16 announcement coincides with another OEM committing to UK production as McLaren said it will invest £500 million ($675m) in expanding its UK manufacturing and engineering operations, including the launch of its first SUV model.