Dacia Bigster overturned the table. I saw European weapons aimed at the Chinese

Dacia Bigster is a weapon aimed at cheap Chinese SUVs prevalent in Europe. He has a chance to steal a lot of customers from them
The price list of the new model will open with an amount lower than PLN 25,000. euro (approx. PLN 108,000), and only Chinese cars play in this price and size league
The Bigster will be a bit like a Prius taxi “with gas”, because one of the engines is a 140-horsepower 1.2 TCe petrol with a mild hybrid system (48 V) and a factory LPG installation
Panoramic roof, two-color body, electric hatch, dual-zone air conditioning, adaptive cruise control and three new engines – Dacia Bigster opens a new chapter of the brand

To say that the Dacia Bigster is simply a 23 cm longer Duster is a crime. There is no denying that these two SUVs built on the CMF-B platform are close to each other, but there are many new solutions under the familiar-looking packaging. Bigster is the first Dacia model going beyond the B segment – so it’s no wonder that as many as three new engines and high-end equipment debut with it in the brand’s portfolio.. I have already seen this car up close and I recommend it to anyone who plans to visit Chinese brand showrooms.

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Dacia Bigster transplants the recipe from Duster to the C-SUV segment

Even more Dacia in Dacia? This was the slogan that the brand’s representatives started the pre-premiere show for the media. When the curtain came off the car, there were no screams of delight or astonishment in the room – they only appeared during the presentation of the range of engines and equipment.. The Bigster looks almost like the 2021 concept car announcing it, and differs from the smaller Duster in details. For example, optionally available 19-inch alloy wheels (!) or two-color body painting and Indigo Blue paint reserved for this model.

Dacia Bigster Source: Auto Świat / Krzysztof Grabek

The Dacia Bigster is easiest to recognize by its longer profile and the lack of a clumsy plastic element at the junction of the front doors and the fender.. Those who are astute will also notice changes in other parts of the body. The front bumper has a less exposed decorative element imitating off-road piping and fog lamps moved higher. The grill filling between the LED headlights is also different. And at the back? A wide black strip above the license plate and a smaller silver grille on the bumper.

Length [m] 4.34 4.57 Width [m] 1.81 1.81 Height [m] 1.66 1.71 Wheelbase [m] 2.66 2.70 Trunk capacity [l] 517 667

Dacia Bigster will be loved by families who enjoy the outdoors

The biggest difference from the Duster is visible when you open the large rear door or the trunk lid – space, space and more space. There is almost as much legroom in the second row (24 cm) as in the Skoda Kodiaq, and this is a really big achievement. The situation is similar with the headroom, but the shoulder room is a bit worse because the Bigster has not grown in the shoulders. Will three people be comfortable there on longer trips? It depends on their muscles…

Dacia Bigster Source: Auto Świat / Krzysztof Grabek

However, the trunk will probably swallow everything – it has as much as 667 liters up to the height of the rear shelf, and the rear seat can be divided in a 40/20/40 arrangementso you can transport items up to 2.7 m long between passengers. Moreover, the trunk is shapely and has a flat floor, and the cargo opening is large. All you have to do is plan your vacation and pack your stuff!

However, you do not need to book accommodation, because Dacia Bigster can be equipped with: Sleep package with a box consisting of a fold-out bed (130 by 190 cm), a table and a storage compartment. Additionally, blackout window visors and an accessory tent attached to the back of the car. The company assures that the car is not afraid of such holidays – inside it has easy-to-clean upholstery, and outside it has durable covers made of unpainted recycled Starkle plastic.

Dacia Bigster Source: Auto Świat / Krzysztof Grabek

We already know these things – as well as the set of accessories mounted in YouClip holders – from the smaller Duster. But panoramic sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, electric tailgate, adaptive cruise control, a high center console with armrest or a two-color body these are things we can experience in Dacia for the first time in history. Importantly, a 10.1-inch multimedia screen in the Bigster will be standard (a 10-inch display behind the steering wheel, however, requires an additional fee). Another nice touch is a button that saves people from tearing their hair out and turns off all buzzers required by the EU (Bigster meets GSR2 requirements).

Dacia Bigster can be like a Prius “on gas”

Another innovation can be found under the hood of the flagship Romanian SUV. Those who were worried about the efficiency of a liter gas engine in such a large car can breathe a sigh of relief – it won’t be included in the Bigster at all. So what, Dacia without an LPG installation?! Nothing like this – a dual-fuel engine loved by Polish customers will be offered, but it is a 3-cylinder 1.2 TCe engine supported by a 48-volt mild hybrid system. This set generates 140 HP and allows you to sprint to 100 km/h in about 10 seconds, and thanks to two tanks (50 l for petrol and 40 l for LPG), it provides a range of up to 1,450 km (!). The tiny battery (0.8 kWh) is recharged unnoticeably, e.g. when braking. A surefire sales hit in Poland?

Dacia Bigster Source: Auto Świat / Krzysztof Grabek

This is just one of four engines in the Dacia Bigster offer – all of them are electrified at least to a small extent. It was only transplanted straight from Duster 1.2 TCe petrol engine with 130 HP (also a mild hybrid), which is the only one available with a 4×4 drive. For fans of units powered by this fuel, but without the pressure of having all-wheel drive, Dacia has prepared a version of this engine enhanced to 140 HP (also mHEV). Both variants are paired only with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

A big (literally!) novelty in the range of power units is a 155-horsepower hybrid system (HEV) based on a 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated 1.8 engine generating 107 HP. The effortless petrol engine is supported by two electric motors (50-horsepower driving the wheels in EV mode and a 20-horsepower high-voltage starter-alternator), an electrified automatic transmission (without clutches and synchronizers) and a cooled lithium-ion battery (1.4 kWh) for which Dacia provides an 8-year warranty up to 160,000 miles. km. According to engineers 80% Bigster in the city. runs on electricity, always starts in electric mode, accelerates from 0 to 100 km per hour. in 9.7 si it can tow a trailer weighing one ton. Expected average fuel consumption is a modest 4.9 l/100 km (WLTP).

Dacia Bigster Source: Auto Świat / Krzysztof Grabek

If you thought that the most agile (and at the same time most economical) Dacia Bigster would cost exorbitantly, then… you are wrong. The company wants to sell a powerful hybrid for less than PLN 30,000. euro, i.e. no more than 129 thousand PLN – this is still the price range of Chinese SUVsand Dacie guarantees low loss of value. The cheapest Bigster with a 1.2 TCe engine will cost approximately PLN 108,000. zloty. The exact Polish price list will be announced in February next year, and the first cars will arrive in showrooms in April. Dacia predicts that it will sell more Bigsters than Dusters, due to the size of the C-SUV segment. Any negative surprises? Even in the future, there will be no 7-seater version – only the Jogger will still play the role of a family bus.