Top 5 cars made in the UK

Top 5 cars made in the UK

A lot of us have grown used down the years to the idea that Britain “doesn’t make cars” anymore. We’ve been led to believe that since the ill-fated days of British Leyland in the 1970s and ‘80s, all of our country’s most famous marques have been gradually gobbled up by foreign corporations.

And it’s true that there aren’t too many traditionally British car manufacturers that are actually still in British hands. However, that’s a different matter to the manufacturing itself, which – for many familiar brands and vehicles – does continue to take place in the UK.

Don’t believe us? Just take a look at our below selection of five cars that, as of 2021, are still made in the UK. You might even find, with the help of our car finance calculator, that you can get behind the wheel of one of these vehicles more quickly and easily than you think.

Honda Civic

First of all, let’s surprise you a little, by citing a vehicle that isn’t even from a British brand. The Japanese giant Honda builds its Civic hatchback at its Swindon plant in Wiltshire, although sadly not for much longer – in fact, the factory has already been sold, with car production set to cease there by the end of July 2021.

That’s a shame, as the Civic – with its pleasant driving experience, sporty interior and a formidable range of standard kit – has long been something of a favourite among Britons.

MINI

Known as the ‘BMW MINI’ by many in acknowledgement of the much-loved brand’s current German ownership, this retro hatchback continues to sell well in the UK, with a broad range of both new and used models available.

The kitsch favourite is largely built in Cowley, Oxfordshire, showing that even long after the days of the original Sir Alec Issigonis-designed classic, the MINI still goes big on its British heritage.

Nissan Juke

One of the defining trends of the car market in recent years has been the emergence of the super-compact SUV category. And yes, British manufacturing has been at the centre of this development, as illustrated by the success of Nissan’s Juke model, which has been produced at the Japanese brand’s Sunderland plant for more than a decade.

The first-generation Juke’s appearance wasn’t to everyone’s tastes, so it was pleasing to see a handsome restyle with the second generation in 2019. Regardless, the Juke continues to rate highly, thanks to perks like its quality interior and plentiful equipment.

Range Rover

You’d struggle to find a more iconically British car nameplate than Range Rover. Come to think of it, maybe we should say “one would struggle to find…”, as no less than Her Majesty the Queen has long keenly appreciated the Range Rover, as shown by her collection of them.

As you might expect of a vehicle beloved of the literal British head of state, the Range Rover is highly capable, luxurious, and built in the UK – at Land Rover’s Solihull plant, to be exact. It’s also more than a little expensive, although you might still be able to find a great deal on one through CarFinanceGenie.

McLaren Senna

The UK has a motorsport heritage almost unparalleled by any other nation, and continues to exert considerable influence today – we do have a reigning British seven-time Formula One champion, after all. And that champion – Lewis Hamilton – started his F1 career behind the wheel of a McLaren, a brand that has greatly bolstered its production of roadgoing vehicles in recent years.

McLaren Automotive assembles its vehicles at its own facilities in Woking, so which current model do we pick out? Well, let’s go with the Senna, which is named after one of Hamilton’s idols – the late, great Ayrton Senna – and offers all of the spellbinding innovation and performance one would expect from this uniting of two legendary motorsport names.

We could’ve cited various other models in this list from the likes of Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Aston Martin, and more – but you get the idea. Britain continues to be “great” when it comes to car manufacturing, and here at CarFinanceGenie, we can make purchasing a vehicle like one of those above a little bit easier and less stressful. So why not apply today?