Nissan has demonstrated its commitment to maintaining and strengthening production in the UK with the introduction of the new Kicks Hybrid model. This new model will be added to the Sunderland plant and brings a £170 million investment to this manufacturing center in the northeast of England.
The new Kicks model and Nissan's future plans
The Kicks Hybrid, as Nissan's tenth model in Sunderland, will begin production next summer alongside the well-known Qashqai, Juke, and Leaf EV models. This compact crossover, which has previously been launched in foreign markets, will be added to the production line of this plant to enhance employment and production in the UK.
This good news is announced alongside the celebration of Nissan's 40th anniversary of production in the UK and is seen as a milestone during this challenging period for the company. In May, the merging of two production lines in Sunderland put thousands of jobs at risk after Nissan predicted a net loss of 650 billion yen (£4.2 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2026.
Positive impacts on the labor market and community
Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds welcomed the news, stating: "Nissan has been at the heart of UK manufacturing for four decades, and the Sunderland plant has produced millions of vehicles, helping to create thousands of skilled jobs and turning the northeast into a global powerhouse in the automotive industry."
The Kicks model is presented as a compact crossover with an attractive design and innovative technology. This vehicle utilizes Nissan's e-Power hybrid system and appears to meet the needs of European customers. The starting price for this model in the UK is expected to be around £25,000.
The Kicks, which was introduced as a concept car at the São Paulo Auto Show in 2014, went into production in Latin American markets in 2016 and later entered the markets of the United States and Canada. This vehicle has been introduced as a replacement for the Juke at American auto shows.
With the start of Kicks production in Sunderland, Nissan is looking to expand its production capabilities at this plant. This plant, which is considered the largest automotive manufacturing facility in the UK, produced 273,322 vehicles last year and has delivered over 12 million vehicles to the market since 1986.
This news is also seen as a new opportunity for Nissan in terms of securing employment and improving production conditions in the UK, especially following Nissan's previous decisions to reduce the number of its plants globally.
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