The new Dacia Bigster – the largest Dacia ever made – is finally set to arrive in the UK, following on from the Bigster concept model that was unveiled back in 2021.
A new sales challenger to the popular Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, the Bigster is essentially a bigger version of the new Dacia Duster that arrived this year, with more rear head and legroom, as well as a bigger boot. Dacia adds that, alongside the entry-level front-wheel drive model, the Bigster also comes as a 4×4 with off-roading abilities.
The bigster takes many of its styling cues from its small Duster sibling, with a wide gloss black grille connecting narrow LED headlights in the front, and chevron-shaped LED tail lights in the rear. The SUV has been given 17-inch alloy wheels (18- and 19-inch alloys also available) and plenty of chunky bumper cladding, including a thicker rear bumper that protrudes from the car’s back end.
Opening the boot lid reveals 667 litres of luggage space – that’s 150 litres more than the Duster, and 80 litres more than the similarly-sized Kia Sportage.
Adding to the car’s practicality, the Bigster also comes with the brand’s ‘YouClip’ accessory system that lets you mount various accessories throughout the cabin (including the dashboard, at the rear of the centre console, in the boot, and on the headrests). These accessories can include a tablet holder, lamps, hooks and cup holders, but don’t come as standard and need to be purchased separately.
In the front, Dacia says that mounting the dashboard at a slightly higher position has increased driver legroom. A ten-inch floating infotainment touchscreen is angled towards the driver on the dash – by comparison, the Duster simply comes with a smartphone holder as standard. A seven-inch digital instrument cluster features behind the steering wheel, and a larger ten-inch version is fitted to the mid-level trim and up.
Unique to the Bigster, three different centre console sizes will be available – ‘low’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘high’ – the latter coming with an armrest with a built-in cooler compartment, an induction charger and further cubby storage.
In the back, the centre seat can be folded down to reveal an armrest incorporating two cupholders and a phone holder. The SUV can also be specced with a panoramic opening sunroof, though this isn’t included with the standard offering.
Three different trims will be offered to customers – ‘Expression’, ‘Extreme’ and ‘Journey’ – and three different engine options. The ‘TCe 140’ petrol is the lead-in configuration, which pairs a 140hp three-cylinder turbocharged unit with a six-speed manual gearbox and 48V of mild-hybrid assistance.
The 130hp ‘TCe 130 4×4’ is powered by the same engine, and has the same gearbox and mild-hybrid assistance, but is all-wheel drive and has been “built to head off the beaten track.”
Finally, the 155hp ‘Hybrid 155’ is a new configuration designed for the Bigster, combining a four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors – a 50hp unit which can directly drive the wheels and a smaller one hidden in the automatic gearbox.
Sticking to its value-for-money ethos, Dacia says that its new Bigster “makes the C-SUV segment more affordable.” Exactly how affordable remains to be seen, with UK pricing yet to be confirmed. More Bigster details, like the model’s UK launch date and further specifications, are sure to follow in the coming months.
