Dacia enters midsize SUV sector with hybrid Bigster
Dacia has entered the midsize SUV fray with the new Bigster family 4×4.
Arriving next year as the brand’s biggest model yet, the newcomer will square up to rivals such as the Kia Sportage, delivering comfort, performance and space while also making “the C-SUV segment more affordable”. Prices are expected to start at under £30,000.
Sitting above the Duster, the Bigster aligns with the Renaulution strategic plan announced in January 2021 and placing a big focus on the C-segment. Two further vehicles will follow.
Debuting in full hybrid and mild hybrid versions, the Bigster is built on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi CMF-B platform that’s also used for the new-gen Duster and the Jogger seven-seat MPV as well as the Renault 5.
Design remains faithful to the Bigster Concept uncovered in 2021 and employs rugged design with a sculpted, horizontal bonnet, Y-shaped light signature at the front and rear, and body cladding. It will also come with additional features “to meet high expectations in the segment”, including two-tone body colour and 19-inch wheels.
David Durand, Dacia design director, said: “With all-new Bigster, we have stayed true to the intentions expressed in Bigster Concept. Bigster is the ultimate expression of Dacia’s values and is now our brand’s flagship vehicle.”
Bigster also ups the focus of sustainable materials and includes almost 20% recycled plastics, which the brand says is a higher proportion than usual in the automotive industry. These include Starkle, invented by Dacia’s engineers and first used on Duster. Left untreated and unpainted for various cladding parts, it has a smaller carbon footprint in manufacture.
The spacious design also delivers claimed best-in-class headroom, both front and rear, and class-leading rear legroom. Boot capacity is 667 litres, again said to be best in class, and the rear comes with a 40/20/40 bench seat.
Three electrified powertrains will be available. These include the flagship Hybrid 155, which makes its debut in the Renault Group and combines a 110hp four-cylinder petrol engine, two electric motors (a 50hp motor and a high-voltage starter/generator), a 1.4kWh battery and an automatic electric gearbox. It has four gears for the ICE engine and two for the electric motors, always starts up in EV mode and is able to remain in all-electric mode up to 80% of the time in city driving.
The powertrain line-up also includes two mild hybrids. The TCe 140 is based on the TCe 130 available with the Duster and combines a 1.2 litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, 48V mild hybrid system and a six-speed manual gearbox.
At the bottom of the range is the TCe 130 4×4, featuring an all-wheel drive system mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, and a 48V mild hybrid system to maximise efficiency.
Equipment aligns with Dacia’s focus on ‘Essential but Cool, Eco-Smart, Robust and Outdoor’ and includes fixed longitudinal roof bars as standard and modular roof bars on the Bigster Extreme model. A panoramic opening sunroof is available and Dacia InNature accessories include a Sleep Pack, roof rack and tent.
Other features include a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, digital instrument panel and a powered tailgate, plus Dacia’s YouClip system, already seen on the Spring and Duster and enabling drivers to fix accessories such as a tablet stand in specific areas in the passenger compartment.
Orders for the Dacia Bigster open in spring 2025 and pricing will be announced around the time of launch.
Natalie Middleton
Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.
