Shropshire Star

Where are the UK’s most popular cars made?

Find out where some of the nation’s favourite cars come from.

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Car production figures

The UK is a country which loves its cars. Drive down a stretch of motorway and you’ll see all manner of vehicles in various different sizes – but there are plenty of models which, due to their popularity, will be more common than others.

And the places they’re manufactured in varies considerably, too. Have you ever wondered where some of the UK’s favourite cars originate? Find out below…

Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta
(Ford)

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The Ford Fiesta is a common sight on each month’s list of best-selling cars, with its combination of value-busting prices and decent standard equipment ensuring it remains a hit with buyers at all times.

The little Fiesta is created in Cologne, Germany, at Ford’s main European manufacturing plant.

Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa-e
(Vauxhall)

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Much like the Fiesta, Vauxhall’s Corsa is a car which is frequently found on the list of monthly best-sellers. A staple in the hatchback segment, the Corsa has been a household name for a long time now, yet an innovative new model has ensured that it has stayed fresh and current.

This latest Corsa shares a platform with the wider PSA Group, which means that its underpinnings match those under the Peugeot 208. It’s built at the Vauxhall-Opel plant in Zaragoza, Spain.

Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage
(Kia)

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The Kia Sportage is a car which brings a lot to the table. It’s smartly designed and packed with features, while Kia’s excellent seven-year warranty ensures that there’s a safety net should things go wrong.

But they’re unlikely to, as Kia has a sterling reputation for reliability, and all Sportage models come off the production line at the firm’s Gwangju plant in South Korea.

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai
(Nissan)

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The Qashqai has been a real hit in the UK and its origins are distinctly British too – it’s been produced at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland since 2006. Arriving as a well-made and practical crossover, it’s little wonder why the Qashqai has proved such a hit with buyers.

There’s a new version on the horizon, too. It’s built – you guessed it – in Sunderland.

Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40
There are now two plug-in hybrid versions of the XC40 available

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Volvo has been making waves in recent years as it detaches from its old days of robust practicality into a new age of cutting-edge technology and sleek-looking models. It hasn’t lost its focus on safety nor spaciousness, but its cars have been refined and polished to form a genuine alternative to the norm.

The XC40 is a great example of this, too, with a fine interior and an equally classy exterior. While Volvo has plants across the globe – including in China, the US and Sweden – the ever-popular XC40 in made in Ghent, Belgium.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A-Class
(Mercedes-Benz)

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The A-Class is a premium hatchback which, time and time again, is found in the monthly list of best-sellers. With a high-end interior and an efficient range of engines – as well as a new plug-in hybrid – the A-Class is a Mercedes which fits the bill for many.

It’s built at the firm’s Rastatt facility, which is just over 50 miles outside of Stuttgart in Germany. The A-Class is produced here alongside B-Class and GLA models, too.

Audi A3

Audi A3 TFSI e
The latest A3 brings more tech than ever before

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Audi’s A3 is a premium take on the regular hatchback formula and it’s one which thousands of buyers have snapped up over the decades. The latest version has brought a more technology-focused model to market, while a new plug-in hybrid powertrain boosts the car’s eco-credentials too.

It’s built at Audi’s home in Ingolstadt, Germany. Here, more than 3.8 million A3 models have been created since production started in the mid-1990s.

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf GTI
(VW)

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When it comes to household names, the Volkswagen Golf is right up there. Well-known for its practicality and classless appeal, the Golf is a car which has proved perfect for many drivers up and down the UK.

The latest eight-generation Golf is built in Wolfsburg, Germany, in a facility which spans the same amount of space as the entire Principality of Monaco.

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