Nissan to Build European Kicks at Sunderland Plant

Nissan will add the Kicks crossover to its European production line at the Sunderland plant after a £170 million investment. The company confirmed on 16 September 2026 that the B-segment model will be built locally and will use the latest e-Power hybrid technology, though a production start date and full European drivetrain specifications have not been disclosed.

Production shift and investment

Globally, the Kicks has sold about 1.8 million units since its introduction and is currently manufactured in Japan, Mexico and Brazil. To prepare for European production, Nissan said it will invest £170 million (approximately $230 million) to adapt the Sunderland facility, which already assembles the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf. Nissan did not provide a launch date for Kicks production in the UK.

• Japan
• Mexico
• Brazil

e-Power system and drivetrain details

The Kicks will carry the newest iteration of Nissan's e-Power hybrid system. Now in its third generation, e-Power integrates a 5-in-1 electric drivetrain module that consolidates the motor, generator, inverter, reducer and increaser into a single unit and is paired with a conventional 1.4-liter internal combustion engine.

Nissan describes the system as operating with the engine acting primarily as a power generator for the on-board battery rather than directly driving the wheels. The manufacturer says the updated system delivers improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared with previous versions, but specific powertrain details for the European-market Kicks remain unannounced.

Sunderland plant history and upcoming models

This year Sunderland marks its 40th anniversary. The site has produced 12 million vehicles to date, a figure Nissan cites as equivalent to one car every 1 minute 45 seconds. The Kicks will become the tenth distinct model built there following the Bluebird, Primera, Micra, Almera, Note, Infiniti Q30, Juke, Qashqai and Leaf.

Production changes at Sunderland will continue beyond Kicks. Nissan plans to begin assembly of the third-generation Juke, which will switch entirely to an electric drivetrain, next year. At an unspecified later date the factory will also add the Pixo, an all-electric A-segment city car that Nissan says will be revealed in full later this month.