Dacia has come a long way from its Romanian roots, back when it built rebadged versions of the Renault 8 and 12. In 2024, the Sandero supermini was Europe’s best-selling car, well ahead of the Renault Clio and Volkswagen Golf. And in the UK, Dacia shifted a record-breaking 31,500 vehicles – up 10 percent on the year before. Until now, though, Dacia hasn’t been present in the midsize ‘C-SUV’ sector that makes up nearly a quarter of Europe’s car market. Think Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Ford Kuga, Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Kodiaq and many others. Across the continent, these family favourites rack up around three million sales every year. That changes with the Bigster, which Dacia CEO Denis Le Vot says is “aimed exactly at the middle of the C-SUV segment”. Can this proudly budget brand compete in a more sophisticated class – and at a higher price point? It’s time to go big or go home… Bigster: Prices from £24,995 Dacia might be targeting the middle of the market, but its prices are much lower than most. The Bigster starts from £24,995 – around £5,000 less than an entry-level Qashqai. Indeed, even a top-spec Bigster Extreme hybrid still undercuts the cheapest Nissan, weighing in at £29,495. Prefer to pay monthly? Put down a £5,000 deposit and the most affordable Bigster could be on your driveway for 36 payments of £252, with an annual limit of 8,000 miles. A more typical finance deal on a higher-spec model is around £350 a month. Dacia offers a choice of three engines: 140hp three-cylinder 1.2 petrol, 130hp 1.2 petrol with four-wheel drive, and 155hp four-cylinder 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid (the only Bigster available with an automatic gearbox). The 140hp version can be fitted with an additional fuel tank for LPG, which Dacia says can reduce running costs by 30 percent. Bigster value for money So, what do you get for the money? The no-frills Bigster Essential sold elsewhere in Europe won’t be coming here, meaning Expression is the first rung on the UK ladder. For that headline price of £24,995 with the 140hp engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive, you get 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone air conditioning, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, electric mirrors, roof bars, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Stepping up to Journey (from £26,245) adds 19-inch wheels, an electric tailgate, bigger digital dials, sat nav, an upgraded six-speaker audio system, adaptive cruise control, wireless phone charging, keyless start and an electric driver’s seat. Finally, there’s the more adventurous Extreme (from £26,495), with a panoramic opening sunroof, washable microfibre upholstery, hill descent control, chunky rubber mats and copper-coloured trim. I sampled the 155hp hybrid in middling Journey spec – the only model available at launch, but expected to be the most popular Bigster with British buyers. What’s in a name? Yes, it has a silly name, but that doesn’t seem to have hampered the Dacia Jogger or Duster. And besides, the Bigster looks great: square-jawed and upright, with a flat bonnet, muscular wheelarches and a purposeful stance. Its rugged body cladding is made from a part-recycled composite material that Dacia calls ‘Starkle’. You can even have a two-tone paint finish, with a contrasting black roof. Inside, the Bigster is more obviously built to a budget, with plenty of coarse, hard-wearing plastics. If you have just clambered out of a typical C-SUV, it might seem a bit basic. On the plus side, build quality is good and there are clever touches such as the ‘YouClip’ anchor points: used to attach a cup holder, storage pouch, phone charger, pocket torch or any number of other accessories. As Skoda steps upmarket, it feels like Dacia has slipped into its affordable, very sensible shoes. Being based on a stretched Duster platform means plentiful space for a family of five, plus a very useful 677-litre boot (612 litres in the hybrid), which extends to 1,977 litres when the 40-20-40 split rear bench is folded. Choose the optional Sleep Pack and you can even fit a double mattress back there, turning your Bigster into an impromptu camper van. Disappointingly, Dacia has no plans for a seven-seat version of the Bigster (a Biggerster?), directing anyone with more than three children to its Jogger estate car instead. Driving the Dacia Bigster On the road, the Bigster combines neck-straining acceleration with balletic cornering balance. Only joking. This 155hp hybrid might be Dacia’s most powerful road car ever, but it never feels like more than a tool for getting the job done. Fair enough: that’s what most family SUV buyers want. The car starts off in electric mode and remains there for up to 80 percent the time around town. Refinement at low speeds is thus very good, with the ever-ready torque of the 1.4kWh battery and 50hp electric motor serving up brisk acceleration. Ask more of the 1.8-litre engine and it sounds a bit strained, although a modest kerb weight of 1,419kg (a Kia Sportage hybrid is 1,649kg) helps to reduce the workload. The Renault E-Tech hybrid system has an unusual automatic transmission that an engineer tried valiantly to explain as my eyes glazed over. In brief, however, it uses an electric motor to operate a clutchless dog-ring ’box, which connects four ratios for the petrol engine and two more for the main EV motor, regulating the speed of the cogs so that the gears mesh easily. It mostly works well, although you do sometimes notice a slight pause when accelerating, which feels disconcerting at first. As for ride and handling, the former is on the firm side with the largest 19-inch wheels fitted to the Bigster Journey, yet by no means unacceptable. And the latter is predictable, without any unpleasant surprises, nor much in the way of finesse or fun. Pleasingly, the ‘My Safety’ button on the dashboard means you can tailor the nannying driver assistance systems to your preferences, then shortcut to switch the unwanted ones off. Other car manufacturers, please take note. Bigger car, bigger plans Dacia’s SUV rivals – and there are many of them – should be worried. By adding a dash of style and desirability to a well-proven formula of sensible motoring at affordable prices, the Bigster looks like a winner. Are you really willing to pay £10,000+ more for a comparable car without a ‘budget’ badge? As with the all-conquering Sandero, I suspect many Europeans will reject brand snobbery and vote with their wallets. Dacia Bigster Journey hybrid 155 PRICE: From £29,245 POWER: 155hp 0-62MPH: 9.7sec TOP SPEED: 112mph FUEL ECONOMY: 60.1mpg CO2 EMISSIONS: 105g/km • Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research