Dacia Bigster review

Our opinion on the Dacia Bigster

The Dacia Bigster takes all of the impressive things we like in the Duster and puts them into a larger package. The pricing is extremely competitive no matter what trim level or engine you go for, and interior space and practicality is a real plus point. Quality isn’t the Bigster’s strongest attribute, but it drives well enough and has all the kit most people will need. As a budget C-segment SUV it should be good enough to steal a few sales off more premium, but similarly-sized alternatives. 

About the Dacia Bigster

Dacia is expanding its line up over the next few years with a new ‘C-Neo’ hatchback to take on the Skoda Octavia and an entry-level EV that’ll eventually replace the Spring - but in the meantime it’s launching its biggest car to date - the aptly-named Bigster. It’s pitched as a more practical, bigger-brother to our 2024 Small SUV of the Year, the Dacia Duster, and represents the value-focused brand’s first crack at the hugely important and competitive mid-size SUV market, trying to tempt buyers away from big-sellers such as the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and other well-polished alternatives. 

Prices for the Bigster start at a smidge under £25,000, slightly less than the most expensive versions of the smaller Duster SUV. It’s also, coincidentally, the exact same starting price as MG’s similarly sized HS, but it’s comfortably cheaper than the Qashqai and Sportage, which both start at around £30,000. 

Rather than the Essential trim level other Dacias start with, the Bigster range begins with Expression. This comes as standard with a 10.1-inch central touchscreen incorporating wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus there’s a seven-inch digital instrument display for the driver - the same set-up found in some versions of the Duster. The Bigster also comes with dual-zone air-conditioning, a 40:20:40-split rear bench, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and four ‘YouClip’ anchor points for attaching accessories like cup-holders, phone mounts and bags.

Standard safety equipment includes traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit alert, cruise control, lane-change warning, lane-keep assist, driver-attention warning and advanced emergency braking.

Above Expression, Journey trim starts at just over £26,000. This adds 19-inch alloys, a powered bootlid, a 10.1-inch driver’s display to match the central touchscreen, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, unique seat upholstery patterns, a wireless smartphone charger, electrically adjustable door mirrors and high-beam assist. 

The range-topping Extreme model starts at around £26,500 and, as we’ve seen with the Duster Extreme, this version is geared more towards owners with an active, outdoors lifestyle. It has similar standard equipment to the Journey, but features smaller 18-inch wheels, keyless entry, roof bars, a panoramic sunroof and brown copper accents. There’s even washable seat upholstery and rubber floor mats to make cleaning up after a gruelling hike or trek that much easier. 

As for engines, the Bigster doesn’t have a fully-electric alternative and the Bi-fuel LPG powertrain that’s available in European markets won’t come to the UK - although we’re told a plug-in hybrid variant is in the works. Kicking off is the two-wheel drive mild-hybrid 140 with a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol, followed by another mild-hybrid with four-wheel drive and then a full-hybrid range-topper. 

The Bigster sits on the same CMF-B platform as the Duster, and many other cars including the Renault Clio. There are three hybrid powertrains to choose from, starting with the entry-level TCe 140 that uses a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, 48V mild-hybrid technology and a six-speed manual gearbox. It produces 138bhp and 230Nm of torque. 

The mild-hybrid system doesn’t allow for pure-electric driving, but helps the engine fire up and when accelerating. Its 0.8kWh battery is recharged by regenerative braking when the car slows down. 

The TCe 130 4x4 features the same mild-hybrid petrol engine, now producing 128bhp and 230Nm of torque. But it adds four-wheel drive and five drive modes for different terrain: Auto, Eco, Off-Road, Mud/Sand and Snow. It also uses a manual transmission. We’ve tested this set-up in the Duster already and, just like in that car, we’re confident that the all-wheel drive Bigster will have enough off-road ability to keep pace with pretty much any of its rivals. 

We’ve driven the new Bigster in its Hybrid 155 guise, a significant moment because the Bigster is the first model in the Renault Group to use this specific full-hybrid set-up. It consists of a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and six-speed multi-modal automatic gearbox, working together with one main electric motor, a separate starter generator motor and 1.4kWh battery. Combined power output is 153bhp, while the e-motor provides up to 205Nm of torque. 

In terms of driving modes for the Hybrid 155 you only get ‘Eco’, ‘e-Save’ and ‘B’ with the latter adding extra brake regeneration for the battery - which we felt was integrated pretty seamlessly. There’s no ‘Sport’ mode in the Bigster, which makes sense fairly early on. With a relaxed power delivery, a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic and soft suspension, it’s much more of a steady cruiser than something that’ll challenge the likes of the Ford Kuga for driver engagement. 

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

No matter which powertrain you choose, the Bigster provides fairly sedate straight-line performance. The most powerful Hybrid 155 is the quickest, but not by much. It’ll take 9.7 seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint with the two-wheel drive mild-hybrid 140 taking 9.8 seconds. The heavier, least-powerful 4x4 will take 11.2 seconds to do the same with all models topping out at 112mph. 

The mild-hybrid petrol with front-wheel drive feels well-matched to the smaller, lighter Duster but we’ll have to wait and see how it fares in the Bigster. It’s the same story with the 4x4 and both of these will use a six-speed gearbox we’ve tried before. While the gear shift motion is fine, we hope the clutch pedal will feel a little less spongy.

While the Hybrid 140 wasn’t our favoured choice in the Duster, the Hybrid 155 seems fairly well-suited to the Bigster’s more grown up and slightly more upmarket positioning with its noticeably electrified powertrain. It has enough shove for the most part, but if you do need to press on, the 1.8-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol can sound a bit gruff once the transmission kicks down a gear. 

Town driving, visibility and parking 

At slow speeds you’ll find the Bigster’s steering to be light and with a relatively low turning circle of 10.9 metres, the Bigster doesn’t feel like a handful in tight car parks. The extensive wheel travel afforded by the suspension combined with a respectable amount of side wall in the tyre (even on the larger rims) also means the Bigster’s ride adapts to speedbumps and large potholes in town with ease. 

B-road driving and handling

Dacia doesn’t claim the Bigster will excite on a flowing backroad and while there are plenty of more dynamically-capable family SUVs out there, it doesn’t panic at the sight of a corner. The steering is reassuringly weighty at speed and while the body will roll into a bend, the Bigster rarely feels unsettled - unless you decide to make rapid inputs that is. In the Hybrid 155 there aren’t really any modes to change its behaviour either, though we can’t imagine many would want this feature anyway. 

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

While the Bigster is pretty adept for a family SUV around town and doesn’t fall apart in the bends, it’s on a motorway cruise where it does its best work on the road. There’s a relaxing stability to the steering at higher speeds, and despite this the ride feels a little more compliant over imperfections than the Duster. Dacia has added a thicker windscreen (3.85mm compared to 3.5mm in other models) and, along with extra sound deadening in the wheel arches and dash, wind and road noise is certainly dampened over the Duster. A slight side-effect is that you notice the petrol engine is a little more audible than we’d like. 

Expert view, on driving experience

“Dacia‘s focus on the Bigster is to make it easy and comfortable to drive, which is the right decision. It won’t win any prizes for excitement, but it should best most rivals for off-road ability and despite its size it’s no hassle around town.” - Alastair Crooks, Senior News Reporter, who drove the Dacia Bigster across southern France.

Dacia claims the Bigster Hybrid is approximately 150kg lighter than the average hybrid SUV. Weighing in at 1,350kg for the two-wheel drive mild-hybrid model, 1,419kg in Hybrid 155 or 1,428kg for the 4x4, whatever version you choose the Bigster will be lighter than its competitors by a significant margin - which has positive knock-on effects for its efficiency. 

The two-wheel drive mild-hybrid 140 will return 51.4mpg with 122g/km of CO2 emissions - impressive considering comparable mild-hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage or Volkswagen Tiguan will return 43.5mpg or 46.3mpg respectively. If efficiency is your main concern, the full-hybrid powertrain of the Hybrid 155 will appeal thanks to its claimed 60.1mpg figure and 105g/km emissions - better even than the Duster Hybrid 140’s 55.3mpg and 114g/km. 

During our drive of the Bigster hybrid, we found that a mix of urban, country and motorway driving would result in economy of 50.4mpg, on a cruise we easily managed 62.2mpg however. Dacia says the Hybrid 155 can spend up to 80 per cent of the time driving in town on pure-electric power, according to the brand, plus it always starts up in EV mode. We certainly found the 48bhp electric motor was keen to power the Bigster by itself and with brake regeneration on, the tiny 1.4kWh battery would replenish in a matter of minutes. 

The four-wheel drive model is unsurprisingly the thirstiest Bigster you can buy. Even so, a combined 46.3mpg and emissions of 134g/km are still commendable - no doubt helped by its standard-fit manual six-speed gearbox. 

Insurance groups

Insurance groups start at 24 for the least powerful Bigster in 4x4 trim. The slightly more powerful mild-hybrid two-wheel drive model sits in group 26 and unsurprisingly, the most powerful 153bhp hybrid will be the most expensive to insure as it sits in group 27. Changing from entry-level Expression to Journey or Extreme trim can also raise the insurance cost. 

Tax

All three powertrains available in the Bigster sit in different car tax bands. The full-hybrid’s relatively low 105g/km emissions figure means that you’ll be paying £195 a year. The mild-hybrid two-wheel drive will constitute an annual tax of £220 and the four-wheel drive mild-hybrid £270. There’s no plug-in hybrid version available, though Dacia is looking to add this powertrain to the Bigster at some point - which will no doubt be the preferred choice of company car buyers. 

Depreciation 

It’s too early to give definitive residual values on the Bigster, though we can speculate from the smaller Duster as to how well the new Dacia range-topper will hold on to its value. The Duster, on average, will retain 59 per cent of its value after three years and 36,000 miles. That’s a pretty impressive lack of deprecation helped by the Duster’s relatively low price tag. We expect the more expensive Bigster may lose a slightly higher percentage of its value over the same period with higher-spec Journey and Extreme models the worst offenders. 

The Bigster’s name and square-jawed design will be familiar to fans of the brand, because a concept model was unveiled back in 2021 and previewed Dacia’s latest design language, which went on to shape the Sandero, Jogger and the current, third-generation Duster. The production Bigster looks almost identical to the concept and it looks undeniably tough, thanks to pronounced, boxy wheelarches, skid plates at the front and rear and lots of protective cladding.

That cladding, along with most of the rear bumper, is made from a Starkle – a material created by Dacia’s engineers which contains up to 20 per cent recycled polypropylene, and isn’t treated or painted, giving a distinctive mottled finish - it’s also 100 per cent recyclable, says Dacia. The skid plates, meanwhile, are “dyed in mass” – meaning they’re the same colour all the way through, making any scratches harder to see. 

Other notable design features include Y-shaped headlights and tail-lights – like those on the Duster – which have been pushed to the edges of the car, to help create the impression of a wide stance. In the centre of the gloss black grille is the familiar ‘Dacia Link’ logo that really stands out because it’s painted white, as is the ‘Dacia’ lettering on the bootlid. The ‘Bigster’ lettering on the rear pillar is a bit more subtle, but still a nice touch. There’s also a new Indigo Blue paint colour that’s exclusive to the Bigster. 

Interior and dashboard design

The cabin design is identical to the Duster’s, but Dacia has worked hard to integrate the refinement, space and equipment that customers expect from a family SUV. So every model comes with dual displays, dual-zone air conditioning and an acoustic windscreen to reduce cabin noise. 

The Extreme and the Journey get the option of a two-tone paint finish with a black roof. All Bigsters can be had in six paint colours, with Indigo Blue added to the roster for the first time on a Dacia. The top-spec Extreme also comes with a large panoramic sunroof which stretches over the heads of the rear occupants. Unlike some premium bands that use a fiddly touch-sensitive button, the sunroof and sunshade are operated by tactile physical switches. 

Materials and build quality

As you might expect from a Dacia, the interior is made of mostly hard plastic, but build quality is solid and it feels like the Bigster’s cabin should hold up well to whatever families can throw at it. We also like that surfaces have been given different textures and patterns, so it doesn’t look boring inside. The grey headlining is a bit rough to the touch, though it looks durable and brings a bit of light into the cabin - great for the models not fitted with a panoramic roof. Some of the Bigster’s inherent lightness comes through with the door shuts as it doesn't quite give you a satisfying clunk. 

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

Unlike the Duster, which gets a seven-inch touchscreen in entry-level models, the Bigster gets a 10.1-inch central touchscreen as standard. It’s angled towards the driver and sits on Dacia’s latest infotainment. The system isn’t the most expansive, though the simple layout of menus does mean it’s easy to cycle through on the move. The graphics are clear and responsiveness is decent overall, but we had an occasional issue with the integrated sat-nav’s laggy behaviour and it placing us on the wrong road. We’d recommend using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity instead, which handily comes standard anyway. As for the driver’s display, it’s configurable to a degree with a rather basic trip computer readout - you can have sat-nav (smartphone or in-car) on the screen however, which we think is a classy touch. 

Anyone that’s been inside a current Renault will notice Dacia has borrowed buttons and switches from its parent company. That said, most of the switchgear feels pretty sturdy in the Bigster, though we did notice the bank of toggles for climate controls in the middle of the dash is a little flimsy. Just like the Duster, the main volume controls aren’t easy to find - they’re very small buttons on top of the touchscreen. 

Expert view, on design 

“The Bigster’s exterior design is certainly different to its main C-segment rivals, though in person you may easily confuse it with a Duster. The interior quality is quite what you’d find on more expensive Kias, Hyundais or Fords, but it’s got a functional, rough and ready charm to it.” - Alastair Crooks, Senior News Reporter, who drove the Dacia Bigster across southern France.

The Duster is one of the more accommodating SUVs in its class and that focus has continued with the Bigster. It’s noticeably more roomy than the Duster inside, though there’s no seven-seat option with the five-seat Bigster - if you need to seat seven you’re stuck with the Jogger. Features like YouClip and cavernous cabin storage are real bonuses here. 

Dimensions and size 

 At 4,570mm, the Bigster is 227mm longer than the Duster and you’ll find plenty of that has gone into making the rear-seat and boot space even more commodious. The boxy, upright profile of the Bigster also means that headroom isn’t an issue for tall adults up front or in the back. 

Driving position, seats & space in the front

You can get the Bigster’s electrically-operated seat almost unusably low due to a steering wheel that sits fairly high up in the dash (even with the column lowered). That means you’re forced to sit up in a more traditional SUV driving position so frontal visibility is fine, despite that raised bonnet stretching out in front. 

Front occupants will have no problems getting comfortable in the Bigster, though front lumber support for the passenger is only offered on Journey and Extreme models. We found it very easy to get comfortable with the shape of the front seats and they also make getting in and out of the Bigster simple too. 

Seats & space in the back

Leg, head and shoulder room is excellent in the Bigster with space under the front seat for rear passengers to put their feet. The window line isn’t too high either so rear passengers should feel cooped up back there either. An interesting quirk is the central rear armrest - to use it you have to fold the middle seat down. Isofix mounts can be found on the two outer rear seats. 

Boot space

What’s even more impressive than the Bigster’s cabin space is the boot. Choose the mild-hybrid 140 and you’ll get 677 litres or 614 litres in the 4x4 or 612 litres with the Hybrid 155. To put that into perspective, the MG HS offers a comparably meagre 507 litres, the Nissan Qashqai up to 504 litres and Kia Sportage 587 litres. 

Every version of the Bigster comes with a height-adjustable boot floor for a flat load space, meaning there’s extra storage underneath. When you need more space, the Bigster has a 40/20/40 split folding rear bench, with levers in the boot for folding the seats down which allows for a maximum load length of 2.7 metres.

Towing 

As with the Duster, if you want the maximum towing capacity you’ll have to choose the non-hybird version. The Bigster TCe 130 with either the two-wheel drive or 4x4 powertrain will match the 1,500kg towing limit of the Duster with the 155 Hybrid topping out at 1,000kg - 250kg more than the hybrid Duster. 

Expert view, on practicality

“No other SUV for similar money can match the Bigster’s practicality. It’s not like it’s a big soulless van either, there are lots of useful storage spots around the cabin and the YouClip points are a smart addition.”  - Alastair Crooks, Senior News Reporter, who drove the Dacia Bigster across southern France.

The Dacia Bigster hasn’t been crash tested yet, though it does sit on the same platform as the smaller Duster and offers a similar amount of kit, so we expect a result akin to the Duster’s three out of five stars when the Bigster is eventually receives its Euro NCAP test. 

Dacia has said it’s not focused on throwing safety technology at its cars for Euro NCAP points, though plenty of safety features come as standard on the Bigster, including lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, driver attention warning, emergency call system and advanced emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection. Drivers can also quickly and easily activate a personalised mode for the driver-assistance suite using the ‘My Safety’ button on the dash - it’s the same button you’d find in a whole bunch of Renaults and it works great.

Buying and owning

Whatever Dacia Bigster you buy, it’ll seem like a bargain compared to alternatives from brands like Kia and Ford. Compared to the budget-focused MG HS, the Bigster is more practical and has a much more ergonomic interior and infotainment system. A plug-in hybrid will surely boost the Bigster’s appeal and create a bit more of a gap to the Duster, but for now we think the Hybrid 155 range-topper is the best offering. 

Alternatives

Considering the combination of the Bigster’s size and price, rivals are few and far between though there is steady competition for the high-spec hybrid versions. There is the well-equipped MG HS which already comes with a plug-in hybrid that boasts a whopping 75-mile electric range, if you want a similarly sized SUV to the Bigster, then you’ll have to spend around £5,000 more for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. 

Dacia Bigster pictures

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