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As so many Dacias have done in the past, the Bigster re-writes the value proposition in its segment - in this case, the class for upper-mid-sized five-seat family SUVs. What's different here though, is that it does so with a genuinely appealing, technologically sophisticated strong quality product.
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Detailed ratings
Medium-Sized Family Hatch-Based SUVs
Background
Renault-backed Romanian maker Dacia has always shaken up the market when it comes to value. But so far it's done so primarily with compact cars. What if the same proposition could be applied to model more appropriate for a growing family? A contender like this one, the - Dacia Bigster.
The brand has ambitious plans for this upper-mid-sized family SUV, which slots in above the rejuvenated Duster in its crossover model line-up. The strong-selling Sendero hatchback and the Jogger 7-seat estate, previously built in Romania, have been moved aside (to a Renault factory in Morocco) so the Bigster can roll down that main Romanian Mioveni production line in the substantial numbers the brand thinks it's going to sell. You can see why it's optimistic, undercutting directly comparable rivals by around £10,000, yet delivering what at first glance seems to be a very appealing product. Let's take a closer look.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 24995 | 29495 |
| CO2 (g/km) | 105 | 105 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 112 | 112 |
| Min | Max |
| Length (mm) | 4570 | 4570 |
| Width (mm) | 1812 | 1812 |
| Height (mm) | 1662 | 1662 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 612 | 677 |
Driving experience
We haven't yet driven the Bigster - but the signs are good. It's usually a decent rule of thumb with Dacias that the less you pay, the better off you generally are. We're not certain that applies here. The Bigster is, well, big and the little three cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that mainstream models use, though perfectly acceptable, isn't going to give SUV this large lightning performance. So we can understand why, particularly in view of the up-front cost savings you'll be making here, you might be minded to pay the extra the Romanian brand wants for the top Hybrid 155 powertrain.
This is a full-Hybrid 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol unit which comes mated to a six-speed auto gearbox working with one main electric motor, a separate starter generator motor and a 1.4kWh battery. Total system output is 155hp, which makes this the most powerful Dacia ever made; 62mph takes 9.7s en route to the 112mph top speed that all Bigsters share.
The only slight full-Hybrid downside is that you can't have it with 4WD. The lesser 1.2-litre mild hybrid powertrain set-up is more flexible, available either with front wheel drive and 140hp; or with four-wheel drive and 130hp. Either way (unusually these days), there's manual transmission and 230Nm of torque aided by the 0.8kWh e-motor. The front-driven version makes 62mph in 9.8s, a figure which falls quite a lot (to 11.2s) for the 4x4. Still, we can understand why the 4WD version might appeal. It offers three drive modes for difficult terrain ('Off-Road', 'Mud/Sand' and 'Snow') as well as 'Auto' and 'Eco' for the tarmac. Off road, the 4x4 model has 219mm of ground clearance and an approach angle of 24-degrees, a departure angle of 29-degrees and a ramp angle of 23.2-degrees. Braked towing capacity is up to 1,500kg with the two mild hybrid models; that falls to 1,000kg with the Hybrid 155.
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Design and build
As its name suggests, the Bigster is a larger size of C-segment family SUV; think Ford Kuga or Volkswagen Tiguan, rather than Nissan Qashqai or SEAT Ateca. It has to be to distance itself from its Duster SUV showroom stablemate, which has a shorter version of the same Renault Group CMF-B platform. There's plenty of pavement presence across 4.57m of length (227mm longer than a Duster), with a bulky rear end and the largest wheels (up to 19-inches) ever fitted to a Dacia. The Y-shaped headlights and tail lamps have been pushed to the edges of the car to give the impression of a wide stance. It's all much as we saw in the concept model of 2021 but with production refinements, like a two-tone roof that is literally printed onto the car.
Inside up front, lots of course is borrowed from the Duster, but the Bigster feels different because of its high centre console. Other changes to suit what Dacia describes as 'a greater emphasis on space, ergonomics and comfort' include multi-adjustable seats, dual-zone climate control, extra acoustic padding and thicker glass. The brand's usual 10.1-inch screen features in the centre of the fascia and there's a large thick-rimmed wheel. 'YouClip' dashboard mounting points allow you to add personalised accessories.
As you'd expect, there's even more differentiation over the Duster in the second row, which allows much more legroom thanks to a 2,702mm-long wheelbase. Neat moulds in the central rear seat fold down to offer cup holders and device holders and the mid-part of the rear seat can fold down to create an armrest. Headroom is generous and there's plenty of space beneath the front seats to push your feet. A six footer could sit behind an equally lanky driver. In case you're wondering, there's no third row seat option (a la X-Trail or Kodiaq); Dacia believes that would have compromised the basic design. So if you want to seat seven with one of the brand's models, you'll need the smaller Jogger estate.
Out back, Dacia claims a class-leading C-segment volume of up to 677-litres (only a five-seat Kodiaq has more). That's with the TCe 140 variant; it's 614-litres for the TCe 130 4x4 and 612-litres for the Hybrid 155. Across the range, there's a height-adjustable boot floor and cargo sidewall levers for retracting the 40:20:40-split rear seat back. With everything flat, there's 2.7m of loading length and up to 1,977-litres of capacity.
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Market and model
There are three Bigster trim levels - 'Expression', 'Journey' and top 'Extreme' - and prices start from around £25,000, which is incredible cheap for an upper mid-sized SUV of this sort. Prices for class rivals are usually around £10,000 more. That base figure gets you the entry-level front-driven 'Expression'-spec TCe 140 derivative; it's around £2,200 more for the mild hybrid 4x4 version. While prices for the top full-Hybrid 155 model start from around £28,000.
There's lots of equipment too. Even 'Expression'-spec gets you 17-inch diamond alloy wheels and a 40:20:40-split rear bench with easy fold functionality. This version features Dacia's 'Media Display multimedia system with four speakers and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto wireless connectivity. Mid-level 'Journey'-spec gives you 19-inch semi-diamond cut alloy wheels, bespoke 'Journey' seating upholstery, front passenger seat lumbar support and a powered tailgate. There's also a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, wireless phone charging, high beam assist, heated and electronically adjustable door mirrors and rear window privacy glass.
Top 'Extreme' trim comes with 18-inch semi-diamond cut alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, modular roof bars, washable MicroCloud TEP upholstery and rubber mats as standard.
Both the top two trim levels can be specified with an optional two-tone black painted roof. A key factor for customers to consider across the range is the car's latest accessory system called 'Youclip'. With this, a series of square mounts positioned around the car can take compatible accessories like a cupholder, a bag hook, an induction charging phone holder, a portable torch and a tablet stand - and in each case can take around 8kg of weight.
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Cost of ownership
Let's get to the figures, which see the front drive mild hybrid model return up to 51.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 122g/km of CO2. That should mean a decent range for the 50-litre fuel tank. For the 4WD mild hybrid auto version, the stats fall to 46.3mpg and 134g/km. Dacia reckons that the Bigster Hybrid is around 150kg lighter than the average full-Hybrid SUV, which certainly helps efficiency figures. The Bigster Hybrid 155 can return up to 60.1mpg on the combined cycle (with up to 105g/km of CO2) and can spend as much as 80% of its time during town driving running on pure electric power. Plus it always starts up in EV mode.
There are lots of clever money-saving touches. The skid plates, for example, are apparently 'dyed in mass', which means they're the same colour all the way through, making scratches more difficult to see. On to the warranty. Dacia offers an industry standard 3-year/60,000 miles guarantee from the showroom, backed by three years or 60,000 miles of roadside assistance. For a little more, you can extend the cover by two years or you can up the period covered to a Kia-equalling 7 years and 100,000 miles. Service intervals are every year or every 12,000 miles and since most Renault dealers look after Dacias too, you shouldn't be too far from a specialist workshop. It also helps that there's a timing chain that'll last as long as the engine. Dacia offers a choice of pre-paid servicing schemes covering you for either two years and 24,000 miles or three years and 36,000 miles.
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Summary
If, in your search for a spacious five-seat family SUV, you're increasingly unimpressed by expensive EV technology and the spiralling prices of bigger mid-sized crossovers, then this Bigster is for you. For the price of a Qashqai or something even smaller, you get something a lot larger and more usable. And in this case, get it without the standards of low-tech engineering and cheap cabin finishing which once characterised the Dacia marque.
As a result, the Bigster should really shake up its segment. It certainly makes most of its similarly-sized rivals look needlessly expensive. Ideally, we'd have liked the option of seven seats and Plug-in Hybrid tech, but if you don't need either of those things, this Bigster should be high on your shopping list; maybe even at the top.
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