By Britain: Which Nissan Cars Are Built in the UK?
Nissan’s new ‘By Britain’ campaign celebrates a partnership rooted in decades of UK manufacturing, making this a perfect time to look back at the brand’s long-standing connection with Britain.
TL;DR
Nissan's 'By Britain' campaign celebrates nearly 40 years of UK manufacturing, with the Sunderland plant building Nissan vehicles since 1986 and producing millions of cars for British drivers.
The Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke and All-New Nissan LEAF are all proudly built in Sunderland, showcasing British engineering across Nissan's crossover and electric vehicle range.
Sunderland remains central to Nissan's electric future, with the EV36Zero project supporting electric vehicle production, battery manufacturing and renewable energy to drive the next generation of UK-built EVs.
You can experience Nissan's British-built line-up at Greenhous Nissan in Shrewsbury. The Nissan Juke, Nissan Qashqai and Nissan LEAF are available to test drive today.
Nissan have been building cars in the UK since 1986, when the first ever Nissan Bluebird came off the production line at the Sunderland production plant.
Since 1986, the Sunderland factory has produced millions of cars including the Nissan Primera, Nissan Almera and Nissan Note. Today, the UK-built range is centred around three models: the Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke and Nissan LEAF. Each of these three models plays a different role in the Nissan UK model line-up, but each have a strong connection to the North East production line.
Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai was first built in Sunderland in 2006, quickly becoming one of the biggest success stories for the Nissan brand. The arrival of the Nissan Qashqai helped to popularise the concept of the crossover car in Britain, introducing a car type that has the practicality of a family hatchback but with the higher driving position and bold look of an SUV.
The Nissan Qashqai soon became easily recognisable on UK roads, remaining one of the country’s most popular family cars, winning Hybrid Car of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and Best British-Built Electrified Car in 2025.
Now in its third generation, the Nissan Qashqai is still proudly built in Sunderland. Available as either a petrol mild hybrid or Nissan e-POWER system, you can now experience electrified driving without the need to rely on plugging in to charge your battery.
Find out more about the New Nissan Qashqai on our dedicated webpage.
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke launched in 2010, establishing itself as a new kind of small SUV. The Nissan Juke arrived on the scene with a bold exterior style, compact dimensions and a playful character in comparison to other car models available at the time.
Designed not to disappear into the background, the Nissan Juke offers an SUV-like appearance in a smaller package designed for city driving, helping Nissan to build on the success of the larger Nissan Qashqai model.
The New Nissan Juke is still produced in Sunderland and remains one of the most popular small SUVs across the UK. Sitting below the Nissan Qashqai in the brand’s new car range, the Nissan Juke is the perfect choice for drivers who are looking for something compact and easy to drive whilst still benefitting from the raised driving position of a crossover.
Available with petrol or hybrid powertrains, drivers can choose between the familiar petrol engine or the electrified hybrid option but whichever you choose, the Nissan Juke offers a real versatility for everyday life.
Read more about the New Nissan Juke here.
Nissan LEAF
The best-known Nissan electric car, strongly connected to the Sunderland production plant. Production of the Nissan LEAF started in 2013 at the Sunderland factory, marking the location as a key part of Nissan’s EV history.
When it first landed off the production line, electric cars were still relatively uncommon to see on UK roads. The arrival of the Nissan LEAF helped to make EV ownership feel more achievable, becoming more commonplace as more drivers moved over to electric driving.
The first generation of the Nissan LEAF offered practical, easy driving, with a recognisable hatchback shape that made it less unusual than some early electric cars. The original Nissan LEAF was the first experience of running an EV for many early electric car drivers. The All-New Nissan LEAF, now in its third generation, is continuing the model’s history at the Sunderland plant. The latest edition is being built at the UK plant to support Nissan’s move towards increasing electric vehicle production within the UK.
One of the most significant electric car models in the UK, the Nissan LEAF plays a key part in maintaining Nissan’s connection with their Sunderland plant, carrying the brand from the past into the future. Learn more about the All-New Nissan LEAF and register your interest to find out more about the arrival of the all-new EV at Greenhous Nissan.
The cars built at the Nissan Sunderland plant may have changed a lot since the first Nissan Bluebird left the production line in 1986, but the commitment to producing beloved cars for every driver has remained the same. Nissan UK are proud to invest in the next generation of electrified cars, working to produce electric versions of their vehicle range from the specialised facility.
With the new Nissan ‘By Britain’ campaign, Nissan UK are reaffirming their position as a leading manufacturer and designer across the nation. Investing beyond the cars themselves, Nissan have embarked on the new EV360Zero project designed to bring together electric vehicle production, battery manufacturing and renewable energy in Sunderland. This project aims to help the plant to adapt and progress for the years ahead, continuing Nissan’s position as a leading designer and producer of cars beloved by Britain.
Designed. Built. Loved. By Britain.
Discover the latest range of vehicles from Nissan here at Greenhous Nissan in Shrewsbury. The Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke and Nissan LEAF are all available to see in person and test drive now at our Featherbed Lane dealership. Book your test drive now to experience British built technology first hand today.
About the author
Emily Hunt
Junior Digital Marketing Executive for Greenhous Group
[email protected]
07840 850519