Dacia Bigster review
The Dacia Bigster is what it says it is – a big Duster. But that’s far from being a bad thing
Our opinion on the Dacia Bigster
If ever there was a car with a name that reflects its intent, the Dacia Bigster is it. Basically, if you need more space than a Dacia Duster can deliver, then the Bigster fits the brief for a couple of thousand pounds extra. It features similar chunky styling, efficient powertrains and user-friendly tech, but there’s more space for families to stretch out and take their belongings with them. The ride can be a little fidgety at lower speeds, the cabin is clearly built to a price and the hybrid powertrain is a little noisy in certain situations, but overall the Bigster offers great value for money that means it’s easy to overlook its shortcomings.
| Key specs | |
| Fuel type | Petrol, hybrid |
| Body style | SUV |
| Powertrain | 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol mild-hybrid, front-wheel drive 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol mild-hybrid, four-wheel drive 1.8-litre 4cyl petrol hybrid, front-wheel drive |
| Safety | 3 stars (Euro NCAP, based on the 2024 Dacia Duster score) |
| Warranty | Three years/60,000 miles |
About the Dacia Bigster
With small budget cars easily covered by the likes of the Dacia Spring, Dacia Sandero and Dacia Jogger, it only made sense for Dacia to expand its line-up at the other end of the scale with a larger model than the Dacia Duster SUV. Enter the Dacia Bigster, the largest car offered by the Romanian manufacturer, and one that owes a lot to the Duster itself.
Both cars use the same CMF-B platform, but the Bigster is longer and taller than its range mate, and has a longer wheelbase, too. That means more space on board, with a bigger boot and more passenger space, while the cabin features the same chunky design that Dacia employs to help hide its budget roots.
It’s a similar story on the outside, with boxy lines and blocky detailing, including distinctive daytime running lights, bringing it into line with the Duster. We think you’d struggle to tell the two apart unless they’re parked side-by-side, but that’s not a problem.
Power comes from a similar engine line-up, too, with a mild-hybrid 1.2 TCe manual powertrain available with front or four-wheel drive, or a full hybrid auto with front-wheel drive, albeit with a 1.8-litre petrol engine.
Unlike the Duster, there is no basic Essential variant on the price lists, so the range kicks off with Expression trim. This starts from around £25,250 with the 1.2 TCe, which is roughly £3,500 more than the Duster with the same engine. As with the Duster, adding four-wheel drive costs around £2,500, while the hybrid model starts at a fraction over £28,000.
Standard equipment includes a 10.1-inch central touchscreen incorporating wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a seven-inch digital driver’s display, which is 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 such as cup-holders, phone mounts and bags.
Journey trim is around £1,300 more than Expression spec, although this model isn't offered with four-wheel drive. It adds 19-inch alloys, a powered tailgate, a 10.1-inch driver’s display to match the central touchscreen, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, unique seat upholstery, a wireless smartphone charger, electrically adjustable door mirrors and high-beam assist.
At the top of the range is Extreme trim – which is designed to appeal to outdoor adventurers. It’s marked out by copper exterior highlights and features smaller 18-inch wheels than the Journey, keyless entry, roof bars and a panoramic sunroof. There’s even washable seat upholstery and rubber floor mats to make cleaning up after outdoor pursuits that much easier. This version of the Bigster starts from £26,750, while even the highest spec Extreme hybrid comes in at less than £30,000 before options.
You can spec your ideal Dacia Bigster by following the link provided
Performance & driving experience
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With a platform and powertrains shared with the Duster, it will come as no surprise to learn that the Dacia Bigster has similar manners on the road. It’s not the fastest car on sale, but it has enough power to keep pace with traffic, while refinement is reasonable at most speeds. There’s an unsettled nature to the ride at lower speeds, but it irons out the faster you go.
Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
Neither engine delivers punchy performance, but there’s enough to get by. The 1.2 TCe mild-hybrid manual has 138bhp and 230Nm of torque, which is good enough for a 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds, while adding four-wheel drive sees the total power output drop a little, to 128bhp, but torque remains the same. With less power and more weight, the added traction of four-wheel drive can’t overcome this deficit, and 0-62mph takes 11.2 seconds.
The hybrid model features a powertrain that’s new to the Renault group, because it’s based on a 1.8-litre four-cylinder, rather than the 1.6-litre unit that is used by the Duster hybrid. It makes 153bhp and only 205Nm of torque, but is assisted from a standstill by an electric motor, so this version can sprint from 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds. As with rival hybrid systems, the electronics juggle between EV, hybrid and petrol modes at all times, and as a result the Bigster’s engine note doesn’t necessarily synchronise with the car’s acceleration. There’s no issue with the car’s power delivery, though, with linear acceleration from a standstill, and a fair amount of engine noise at full throttle. All versions of the Bigster have a top speed of 112mph.
Town driving, visibility and parking
At low speeds there’s a fidgety edge to the Bigster’s ride when the road surface is poor, and this is amplified by the large 19-inch wheels and relatively low-profile tyres fitted to Expression trim. It’s not overly harsh, but is probably the most obvious part of the driving experience where the Bigster’s budget roots show through.
The powertrain is great, though. Keep your speed sensible and throttle inputs gentle, and you’ll rarely hear the engine firing up. There’s a small graphic in the dash that shows energy flow between the wheels and power sources, although there is a delay between what it shows and what you hear. Having said that, the engine cuts in smoothly and with a distant hum, so the cabin stays hushed at low speeds.
Light steering boosts the car’s manoeuvrability, although we found the high-set bonnet made it slightly tricky to position the nearside of the car against a kerb. Expression cars feature side parking sensors that help you find the side of the road, though.
B-road driving and handling
Quick steering and a floaty sensation to the ride mean that the Bigster isn’t really a car that works as a back-lane blaster, with safe, predictable understeer the order of the day and not much in the way of fun. The damping settles down at higher speeds, though, which boosts comfort, but the tall ride height and soft set-up translates into plenty of body roll in corners. There’s decent weight to the steering and grip is good, but the amount of lean in bends will deter you from pushing the car any harder than necessary.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
The Bigster is a decent cruiser at motorway speeds, with a floating sensation to the ride that boosts comfort. The hybrid model switches between petrol and EV drive even at 70mph, with no hesitation in the powertrain as you accelerate, because the electric motor takes the strain first ahead of the engine, and just a small amount of vibration can be felt when the four-cylinder cuts in. Expression models on 19-inch wheels do suffer from a bit of tyre noise, while there’s wind noise from the door mirrors at speeds of around 55mph and above.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| Bigster 1.2 TCe | 138bhp | 9.8 seconds | 112mph |
| Bigster 1.2 TCe 4WD | 128bhp | 11.2 seconds | 112mph |
| Bigster 1.8 Hybrid | 153bhp | 9.7 seconds | 112mph |
Expert view, on driving experience
“The hybrid powertrain works well in the Bigster. While there’s a larger-capacity petrol engine under the bonnet, the car still favours electric drive most of the time, especially at lower speeds. The benefits can be felt at higher speeds, where the electronics swap between the engine and electric motor where necessary, with one taking a load of the other and vice versa. We’d like to see some sort of multi-stage energy recuperation, though, because at the moment there isn’t any.” – Dean Gibson, senior test editor, tested the Dacia Bigster against the Nissan Qashqai
MPG & running costs
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As well as offering a lot of car for the money, the Bigster delivers some impressive fuel economy figures, especially in hybrid guise. Officially, the poorest performer in the line-up is the 4WD 1.2 TCe mild-hybrid, which returns 46.0mpg. Next up is the slightly more powerful front-wheel drive 1.2 TCe, which can return a claimed 50.0mpg. However, in the real world we’d expect these engines to struggle to meet their respective WLTP figures. The Bigster is a relatively large car, and our past experience says that small-capacity turbocharged three-cylinder units such as the Renault Group’s TCe need to be worked harder than you might expect.
The hybrid model is better suited to the Bigster, and the official fuel economy of 58.0mpg is impressive for a car of this size. Dacia claims that the Bigster’s relatively low kerbweight contributes to this, with all models being around 150kg lighter than similar cars in the class. Interestingly, the official fuel consumption figures remain the same whichever trim level you choose.
During our time with the Bigster hybrid in Expression trim, we easily managed to achieve 53-54mpg even with a lot of motorway driving and no special focus on fuel efficiency. In normal driving, it’s obvious that the powertrain favours electric drive as often as possible, and a small ‘EV’ logo is shown in the bottom corner of the dash display when the car is running on its electric motor alone.
| Model | MPG | CO2 | Insurance group |
| Bigster TCe 140 | 50.0mpg | 122g/km | 27 |
| Bigster TCe 130 4WD | 46.0mpg | 134g/km | 26 |
| Bigster Hybrid 155 | 58.0mpg | 105g/km | 28 |
Insurance groups
Group ratings for the Bigster align with the powertrain chosen. The petrol mild-hybrid is in group 27, while adding four-wheel drive and reducing power puts the car in group 26. The more complex hybrid model falls into group 28. These group ratings are on the high side when compared with some rivals.
Tax
All versions of the Bigster fall well under the £40k luxury car tax threshold, even if you add every option going. If you’re looking at the Bigster as a company car, then the low list prices will help keep Benefit-in-Kind costs low, although what’s really needed is a plug-in hybrid variant for rock-bottom emissions-based taxation.
Depreciation
The Bigster has some of the strongest residual values on the new-car market, not just in the compact SUV sector. Top-spec Extreme versions do particularly well, with the hybrid variant currently retaining more than 67 per cent of its value after three years. Even the poorest performing 4WD model weighs in at 57 per cent.
To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our valuation tool...
Interior, design & technology
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Distinguishing between the Bigster and smaller Duster might be easier said than done unless the two cars are parked side by side. Both cars have a rugged look, smart LED daytime running lights and X-themed exterior details that will appeal to SUV buyers, while the tall ride height gives that all-important high driving position.
The Bigster uses chunky design cues inside and out that make a virtue of the hard plastics and fabric trim, which are used throughout the car. But some of the material quality on board is clearly a step behind that of pricier rivals.
Interior and dashboard design
While the Bigster name is on the tailgate and the C-pillars, we wouldn’t be surprised if the car gets confused with the Duster. It has all the same design cues as the current Duster, such as the Y-shaped daytime running lights, it’s just a bit larger.
It’s a similar story inside, where the Y-shaped theme continues on the air vents and door trims, while the high-set touchscreen and digital dials add a modern edge. Those systems are borrowed from Renault, and there’s plenty of switchgear that’s taken from the French brand, too, such as the bank of climate switches on the centre console and the steering column stalk that you can use to adjust the audio settings; even the keycard will be familiar to anyone that’s owned or driven a Renault from the past 20 years.
Materials and build quality
While the cabin looks smart, the material quality in places leaves a little to be desired. There’s not much wrong with how the switchgear works, and the neoprene-style seat fabric feels high-quality to the touch, but there are lots of hard plastics. In places they don’t feel particularly robust.
The rear door handles are another example of questionable perceived quality. These are set in the C-pillars, yet they feel a little flimsy – they’re double-hinged for strength, but the plastic grabs flex as you pull the handle open.
There were rattles in the cabin, too, while the driver’s door seal on our car was missing a clip and didn’t sit smoothly with the shut line when the door was closed. It didn’t mean there was extra wind noise, but was another sign that the Bigster is built down to a cost.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
The Bigster uses a touchscreen system that’s common with other Dacia and Renault models. The 10.1-inch display has crisp graphics and clear text, while shortcut keys are positioned vertically on the driver’s side. The system responds reasonably well, but the built-in Here nav is slow to use – thankfully wireless smartphone connectivity is fitted so you can bypass Here completely. The set-up wouldn’t always detect our Apple device when it was connected via a cable, but Bluetooth worked fine.
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.
Expert view, on design
“Dacia’s YouClip system features small plastic squares that you can lock different pieces of kit to. There’s one on the dash next to the touchscreen, or you can place the phone mount accessory on the back of the centre console to use it as a screen for back-seat passengers. There are additional YouClips in the boot, while Dacia offers a range of accessories such as a torch, bag, suit hanger and tablet holder.” – Dean Gibson, senior test editor, tested the Dacia Bigster against the Nissan Qashqai
Boot space & practicality
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The extra length and wheelbase the Bigster has over the Duster means it also offers more passenger and boot space than you’ll find in a number of more expensive rivals.
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 generous. The boxy, upright profile of the Bigster also means that headroom isn’t an issue for tall adults up front or in the back.
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 4,570mm |
| Width | 1,812mm |
| Height | 1,711mm |
| Number of seats | Five |
| Boot space | 612-1,977 litres |
Driving position, seats & space in the front
There’s a decent range of seat adjustment, but taller drivers might find the left footrest a little high and a lack of under-thigh seat support might cause some aches on longer trips. There’s a decent view out, too, although the high-set bonnet creates a bit of a blind spot immediately ahead of the car that means it’s better to position the seat a little higher than you might normally have it.
Storage up front is fine, but the door cards’ design means access to the long bins below the armrests is a little tight, while the bins themselves are narrow. There’s a reasonable glovebox – the fuses encroach into the space, but what’s left is quite deep – while the centre armrest is a decent size, with twin cup-holders ahead of it.
Seats & space in the back
Access to the rear is good via long, wide-opening doors, and there will be no complaints from passengers about the space offered in the back. Headroom is plentiful, while legroom is among the best in the class, and there’s good foot space, even considering the ridge in the floor under the front seats.
Occupants are well catered for, too, with twin air vents and USB-C connectors, while the centre section of the back seat folds down to create a ski hatch with twin cup-holders and a couple of angled slots to hold phones. The rear door bins are a little narrow.
Boot space
Journey models get a powered tailgate and this opens to reveal a vast cargo area. A capacity of 612 litres is 140 litres up on the Duster and ahead of the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson hybrid, too.
There are two false floorboards with enough room beneath for a space-saver spare wheel, while the rolling load cover can be fixed in two positions. The back seats fold almost flat and can be released via levers set into the sides of the boot, or there are fabric pulls on the shoulders, although these are thin and fiddly to reach from the passenger compartment.
Towing
Some buyers might want to tow with the Bigster, but if you want the maximum towing capacity you’ll have to choose the non-hybrid version. The Bigster TCe with either two or four-wheel drive will match the 1,500kg braked towing limit of the Duster. The 155 Hybrid tops out at a disappointing 1,000kg, which is only 250kg more than the hybrid Duster.
Expert view, on practicality
“If you want to make the most of the Bigster’s improved cabin space over the Duster, then we’d recommend investing in the Sleep Pack. This simple camping kit costs £1,740 and adds a plywood box that contains a rolled-up mattress and blackout window blinds. Simply open the box and fold the back seats, roll out the mattress and fit the window blinds, and you have yourself a car-shaped sleeping area. For £2,090 you can get the Sleep Pack with a tailgate tent, too.” – Dean Gibson, senior test editor, tested the Dacia Bigster against the Nissan Qashqai
Reliability & safety
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The Bigster’s Euro NCAP safety score is based on the one achieved by the Duster in 2024, so it only has a three-star rating. There are plenty of advanced safety systems on board, though. Emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, traffic-sign recognition, lane change alert and driver attention warning are included, and the systems aren’t as intrusive as many rival cars’.
| Key standard safety features | Euro NCAP safety ratings |
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Buying and owning
- Best buy: Dacia Bigster Hybrid Journey
The hybrid powertrain makes a lot of sense in the Bigster, because it’s efficient and won’t be worked as hard as the 1.2 TCe to make progress. And with prices offering such great value, the Journey trim with its extra luxuries is a good choice. The Extreme version isn’t much more expensive, though.
Alternatives
Considering the combination of the Bigster’s size and price, rivals are few and far between, although 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, but neither model will be quite as well equipped.
Deals on the Dacia Bigster and alternatives
Dacia Bigster pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s a feeling that you get what you pay for with the Bigster, because it costs more than a Duster, but it offers extra space that boosts its practicality. It’s still cheaper than many similarly equipped compact SUVs, too, while the hybrid model offers impressive efficiency.
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