The Nissan Qashqai was the UK’s most popular new car of 2022, and the first British-built model to top the annual sales charts for 24 years.
Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirm that the home-grown Qashqai – which was designed in Paddington, engineered in Cranfield and is built in Sunderland – was the nation’s best-selling car of the last 12 months.
A total of 42,704 new Qashqais were driven off dealership forecourts across the UK in 2022, reported the SMMT.
To celebrate the achievement, an exclusive gold-wrapped Qashqai was created in honour of the 7,000 Nissan employees from around the UK that have contributed to its success.
- Nissan Qashqai – 42,704
- Vauxhall Corsa – 35,910
- Tesla Model Y – 35,551
- Ford Puma – 35,088
- Mini – 32, 387
- Kia Sportage – 29,655
- Hyundai Tucson – 27,839
- Volkswagen Golf – 26,588
- Ford Kuga – 26,549
- Ford Fiesta – 25,070
Overall, 1.61 million new cars were registered in the UK in 2022 – the lowest level since 1992.
Although demand for new vehicles remained high, manufacturers struggled to get hold of parts. There were particularly serious problems obtaining semiconductors, which are used in a vast array of electronic systems, from infotainment systems to engine management.
Meanwhile, demand for electric vehicles continued to grow and they accounted for almost a fifth of new car sales.
Registrations rose from 190,700 to 267,000 – with the EV market share climbing from 11.6% to 16.6%.
The Tesla Model Y was the biggest-selling electric vehicle by far, nothing up 35,551 registrations, followed by the Tesla Model 3 (19,071) and Kia Niro (11,197).
