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Nissan’s Qashqai has been voted the most reliable car in one of the largest annual surveys of car owners.
The family-friendly SUV, from £26,405, tops consumer group Which?’s annual survey. into vehicle reliability, which is based on feedback from 50,000 UK drivers.
The results of the poll are icing on the cake for the manufacturer, with the Sunderland-built Qashqai confirmed earlier this month as the best-selling new car in the UK in 2022 – the first time a British-made engine has topped the sales figures. state chart in nearly a quarter of a century.
The most reliable car is built in Britain! Consumer group Which? surveyed 50,000 UK drivers and found the Nissan Qashqai – produced in Sunderland – to be the most reliable
The SUV has been awarded five stars by the consumer group, with expert testers praising the car for its practicality, family appeal and – based on the latest owner feedback – its near-flawless reliability.
“Nissan’s efforts with the all-new version have resulted in it being crowned our most reliable car for 2023 – a fantastic achievement for what is one of the more affordable cars in the industry,” said Which?.
‘It’s easy to be dismissive as this is such a new car – after all, newer models are generally more reliable. But when we look at cars of similar age in our research, not one of them was reliable enough to get five out of five stars in this category, let alone come close to being at the top.
“Our data shows that 2023 will be the year of the Qashqai.”
Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, said the award from Which? was a “welcome pat on the back” to his staff in the Northeast.
Topping’s respected research Which? is the latest coup for the Japanese brand and its investment and dedication to its Sunderland factory where the Qashqai has been produced for three generations, dating back to 2006.
In the past 17 years, some 3.8 million copies have come off the assembly line in the Northeast.
That? said no other 2021 car could match the Qashqai’s five-star reliability rating
The homegrown Qashqai is designed in Paddington, developed in Cranfield (pictured) and built in Sunderland
Nissan’s engineering center in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, carried out lifecycle testing on the Qashqai before it went on sale in 2021. This included assessments using this ‘Climatic Four-poster Vibration Rig’ to simulate 3 years of riding in 5 weeks
It comes in the wake of official confirmation earlier this month that the model topped the UK registration chart last year, with 42,704 Qashqais sold in Britain – some 6,794 more than last year’s bestseller, the Vauxhall Corsa.
It meant that the Qashqai became the first UK-built model to top the new car charts for 24 years.
The last time a UK-built car was number one was the Mk4 Ford Fiesta in 1998 – the last year the supermini was produced at the Dagenham plant before assembly moved to Germany and Spain.
The homegrown Qashqai – which is designed in Paddington, engineered in Cranfield and built in Sunderland – was the best-selling car in the country over the last 12 months with 42,704 units driving off UK dealers’ forecourts in 2022.
In response to the new award from Which? said David Moss, senior vice president of research and development at Nissan Technical Center in Cranfield: ‘We are delighted that both genuine customers and expert reviewers have recognized the quality and durability of our fantastic new Qashqai.
“Our engineering teams put the car through a series of grueling tests during its development phase to ensure the very highest standards of reliability, so it’s really worth getting this recognition from people who drive it every day.”
Before the third-generation Qashqai was allowed to hit showrooms in 2021, it was the Test Center in Bedfordshire that put the new model through a host of challenging assessments to ensure lasting build quality.
Nissan’s UK manufacturing plant in the northeastern city has been home to the Qashqai SUV since it first hit the market nearly 20 years ago
Production of the latest third-generation Nissan Qashqai at the Sunderland plant began in 2021
Some 3.8 million Qashqais have come off the assembly line in the Northeast in the past 17 years
The petrol-powered Qashqai starts from £26,405. A new e-Power hybrid version is expected to increase its appeal and boost sales in 2023
This included using a ‘Climatic Four-poster Vibration Rig’ to simulate three years of driving in just five weeks, enduring extreme heat and cold testing and simulating a lifetime of use with repeated slamming of the door to check the hinges and panels could stand the test of time.
“The development team is even stockpiling a range of leisure and activity equipment (e.g. pushchairs, golf clubs, suitcases) to test the durability of boot liners and trims,” says the automaker.
Alan Johnson, vice president of production at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, added: ‘We are proud to have built the Qashqai and are absolutely delighted to see the continued success with customers.
“It is immensely satisfying to know that we are not only making the UK’s favorite car, but also the most reliable.
“This award is a true testament to the hard work, dedication and expertise of our 6,000 strong team here in Sunderland, as well as our outstanding supply chain partners.”
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