The Nissan Qashqai by numbers

The Qashqai took the motoring world by storm when it arrived in 2006. Successfully blending the best elements of the SUV and hatchback segments, it was destined to be popular with anyone wanting a practical car that was still compact. 

Today, there are many compact SUVs to choose from.  But despite being in a much more crowded marketplace than the first-generation version, the all-new third-gen Qashqai is still proving a smash hit. 

We’ve rounded up a few figures relating to the Qashqai’s enduring popularity, the engineering behind the Mk3, and the people behind this British motoring success story. 

One (in five)

The Nissan plant in Sunderland has a proud history of vehicle-making stretching back nearly four decades. Built on land formerly occupied by RAF Usworth, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK officially opened on 8 September 1986, going on to produce various famed Nissan models including the Bluebird, Primera and two generations of the Micra.

The Qashqai is built in Sunderland, and since its launch in 2006, this vehicle alone has accounted for one in five of all cars built in Britain. The facility is also responsible for the manufacture of the Nissan Juke compact SUV and the all-electric Nissan LEAF.

42,704

The Qashqai had an incredible 2022 in the UK. A total of 42,704 were sold over 12 months, a figure which meant it topped the country’s new-car sales chart. This is a first for a Nissan model in the UK, and the first time since 1998 that a UK-built car topped the list. We’ll leave you to guess what that car was before having a Google to check the answer…

4,500

The number of Qashqai sold in December 2022 alone, despite the month being a typically slower one for new-car sales.

3.8 million

That’s how many Qashqai have rolled off the production line at Sunderland since the original version’s launch, and three million of these have been sold in Europe. With sales of the third-generation car well underway, it’s only a matter of time before the production number surpasses the four million mark.

7,000

This is the number of Nissan employees in the UK involved in the current Qashqai’s roaring success. These are split between Nissan Motor Manufacturing in Sunderland, Nissan Design Europe in Paddington, Nissan Motor Parts Center in Lutterworth, the Nissan Technical Center Europe in Cranfield and Nissan GB in Maple Cross. 

A gold-wrapped Qashqai (below) was commissioned in their honour to celebrate the role they played in the car's 2022 successes.

24,000 

The effort doesn’t stop there, though - around 24,000 jobs in the wider supply chain are supported by the existence of the Qashqai. 

95 (per cent)

The score achieved by the new Qashqai in the Safety Assist section of the Euro NCAP crash test assessment*, thanks to the standard fitment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies across every trim grade including Automatic Emergency Braking. 

Meanwhile, demonstrating the strength of the CMF-C platform’s structure, the Qashqai managed 91 per cent in the Adult Occupancy section, which included achieving the maximum 16 points in the side-impact test (partly thanks to the fitting of a new central airbag).

All of these things contributed to the Qashqai achieving Euro NCAP’s Best in Class Award in the Small Off Road category in 2021.

117 

No less than 117 robots were added to Sunderland’s body shop, helping them work with the aluminium and ultra-high tensile steel that make up much of the Qashqai. This leads us neatly to our next number.

60 (kilograms)

Some 60kg has been shaved off the new Qashqai’s body compared to the outgoing version, as the bonnet, doors and front wings are all now made from aluminium alloy. Lower weight means better performance, handling and efficiency. 

50 

To ensure full compliance with Euro6-d emissions regulations, the outgoing Qashqai’s 1.3-litre DiG-T petrol engine has been upgraded with 50 newly designed parts. 

Click here to find our more about the Nissan Qashqai

*Full Euro NCAP test results can be found here