Nissan is bringing its Kicks hybrid crossover to Europe, backed by a £170m (€200m) investment for production at its flagship Sunderland plant.

The Kicks hybrid crossover heads to Europe to spearhead Nissan’s dual offensive in the B-segment and electrified vehicle markets

First launched in 2016, the global bestseller is currently built in Japan, Mexico and Brazil, and now heads to Europe to spearhead Nissan’s dual offensive in the B-segment and electrified vehicle markets.

The Sunderland-built Kicks will be exported to markets across the UK, mainland Europe and Turkey, joining the existing electrified line-up.

UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds welcomed the news, calling it a “huge vote of confidence in the UK;s manufacturing expertise and automotive future”.

The Kicks will be manufactured in Sunderland alongside the Qashqai, Juke and current-generation Leaf, becoming the 10th model allocated to the plant as it celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. From next year, Sunderland will manufacture the all-new, third-gen Nissan Juke which, for the first time, will be 100% electric.

While Nissan’s manufacturing is concentrated in the North East, its wider UK footprint includes a design centre in Paddington, London, and a research and development facility in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

Marking another major milestone, the Sunderland plant has now built 12 million vehicles since the first Nissan Bluebird rolled off the production line in 1986.. On average, that’s equivalent to one car every 1 minute 45 seconds.

The Kicks will be manufactured in Sunderland alongside the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf

The Nissan Kicks features a mix of powertrains tailored to regional infrastructure. While models built and sold across North America are powered by a conventional 142hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the version for the UK and European markets bypasses traditional combustion engines entirely. Instead, the Sunderland-built Kicks will be exclusively powered by Nissan’s third-generation e-Power hybrid technology, already seen in the Qashqai and X-Trail.

Unlike conventional hybrids, Nissan’s e-Power system uses its petrol engine solely as an on-board generator to power an electric motor – delivering the instant response and refinement of a pure EV without the need to plug in.

Massimiliano Messina, chairperson of Nissan’s AMIEO Region, said the announcement highlights the agility and speed with which the carmaker can deploy new models into fresh markets.

“Kicks is a compact crossover, with the unique e-Power hybrid drivetrain, exciting design and innovative technology. Electrification with choice is what European customers want, and the introduction of Kicks will further demonstrate how Nissan has options for all.”

The introduction of the Kicks is part of a broader electrified push for Nissan in Europe. The OEM also confirmed that an all-new A-segment small electric car, named the Pixo and positioned as Nissan’s take on the Renault Twingo, will be officially unveiled next week.

The Sunderland plant expansion is a pivotal moment for the UK’s automotive industry

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) strongly backed the Sunderland plant expansion, hailing it as a pivotal moment for the UK’s automotive industry.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Today’s announcement is a major boost for Nissan Sunderland, the thousands of highly skilled jobs it supports and the wider local supply chain. It is also another vote of confidence in UK automotive manufacturing with its world-class workforce, innovation and engineering excellence.”

However, the SMMT chief also underscored the challenges facing the wider domestic automotive sector.

He continued: “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. Do this and yet more companies will choose to build the next generation of vehicles here in Britain.”