Nearly 18 years ago, the first Nissan Qashqai rolled off the production line in Sunderland, creating the crossover segment and sending shockwaves around the automotive world.
Fast forward to 2024, and with more than four million customers in more than 100 countries, the fastest-selling car ever in the UK has been upgraded once more – with a bold design and significant technology updates to enhance the customer experience.
The new Qashqai, electrified with Nissan’s unique e-POWER system, is now in production at its home in Sunderland ahead of its arrival in the coming weeks at Nissan dealerships across Europe and beyond.
The latest upgrades required a fresh £30m investment in the plant, building on Nissan’s total investment in the UK of £6bn.
The refreshed Qashqai arrives as Nissan continues to develop its EV36Zero vision in Sunderland – a blueprint for the future of automotive manufacturing, bringing together electric vehicle manufacturing and battery production, powered by renewables.
Adam Pennick, Nissan’s Vice President for Manufacturing in the UK, said: “We’re so proud to call Sunderland plant the home of the Qashqai. Having the number one team behind the number one crossover is a winning formula, and we can’t wait to see how much our customers enjoy the new design and extra tech.”
Designed, engineered and built in Britain, the first Qashqai was produced in Sunderland towards the end of 2006, ahead of its launch in 2007. Its instant popularity saw production in the north-east reach record levels, with the plant recording the highest annual volumes in the history of the UK car industry, and Qashqai becoming the fastest UK-built car to achieve 1 million, 2 million, 3 million and then 4 million production units, spawning more than 20 competitors in the process.
UK pricing announced
Nissan GB has also announced pricing for the new model, which will start from £30,135 and is available with a mild hybrid petrol engine or Nissan’s unique e-POWER technology.
e-POWER uses a pure electric motor with direct drive to the wheels to deliver instant, high torque and a linear response. It offers drivers the sensation of driving an EV without having to think about charging – an ideal stepping-stone for customers who aren’t quite ready to make the switch to 100% EV yet.
All models feature significant interior and exterior design changes, including a bigger 12.3” infotainment screen and uplifts to interior materials quality. Google Automotive Services and upgraded Around View Monitor technology are also added to most models, together with enhanced exterior lighting and updated alloy wheel options.
