BRUSSELS (Kyodo) -- Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday it will invest 170 million pounds ($230 million) in its Sunderland plant in England to produce the Kicks small sport utility vehicle featuring its unique hybrid system.

The investment is designed to strengthen European product range and expected to safeguard manufacturing jobs, Nissan said.

The redesigned Kicks went on sale in Japan in June. It is equipped with the latest generation of Nissan's e-Power hybrid system, which the automaker says improves fuel economy.

Vehicles built at Sunderland will be sold in Britain and exported to other European markets and Turkey.

British Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Jonathan Reynolds welcomed the decision, calling it "a huge vote of confidence in the U.K.'s manufacturing expertise and automotive future."

The Kicks model is currently built in Japan, Mexico and Brazil for global sales, and the announcement to build it in Britain heralds its European debut, Nissan said.

It will be the 10th model to be built at Nissan's Sunderland plant, which marks its 40th anniversary this year, the automaker said.

Amid reports the plant was being underutilized, Nissan said in June it was considering producing passenger vehicles for major Chinese automaker Chery at the plant in Britain from fiscal 2027.