DACIA BIGSTER ESTATE 1.2 TCe 130 Extreme 5dr 4X4

Dacia's Bigster mid-sized SUV is a big deal - in every sense. Jonathan Crouch explains why.

Ten Second Review

As so many Dacias have done in the past, the Bigster re-writes the value proposition in its segment - in this case, the class for upper-mid-sized five-seat family SUVs. What's different here though, is that it does so with a genuinely appealing, technologically sophisticated strong quality product.

Background

Renault-backed Romanian maker Dacia has always shaken up the market when it comes to value. But so far it's done so primarily with compact cars. What if the same proposition could be applied to model more appropriate for a growing family? A contender like this one, the - Dacia Bigster. The brand has ambitious plans for this upper-mid-sized family SUV, which slots in above the rejuvenated Duster in its crossover model line-up. The strong-selling Sendero hatchback and the Jogger 7-seat estate, previously built in Romania, have been moved aside (to a Renault factory in Morocco) so the Bigster can roll down that main Romanian Mioveni production line in the substantial numbers the brand thinks it's going to sell. You can see why it's optimistic, undercutting directly comparable rivals by around £10,000, yet delivering what at first glance seems to be a very appealing product. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Spec

We haven't yet driven the Bigster - but the signs are good. It's usually a decent rule of thumb with Dacias that the less you pay, the better off you generally are. We're not certain that applies here. The Bigster is, well, big and the little three cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that mainstream models use, though perfectly acceptable, isn't going to give SUV this large lightning performance. So we can understand why, particularly in view of the up-front cost savings you'll be making here, you might be minded to pay the extra the Romanian brand wants for the top Hybrid 155 powertrain. This is a full-Hybrid 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol unit which comes mated to a six-speed auto gearbox working with one main electric motor, a separate starter generator motor and a 1.4kWh battery. Total system output is 155hp, which makes this the most powerful Dacia ever made; 62mph takes 9.7s en route to the 112mph top speed that all Bigsters share. The only slight full-Hybrid downside is that you can't have it with 4WD. The lesser 1.2-litre mild hybrid powertrain set-up is more flexible, available either with front wheel drive and 140hp; or with four-wheel drive and 130hp. Either way (unusually these days), there's manual transmission and 230Nm of torque aided by the 0.8kWh e-motor. The front-driven version makes 62mph in 9.8s, a figure which falls quite a lot (to 11.2s) for the 4x4. Still, we can understand why the 4WD version might appeal. It offers three drive modes for difficult terrain ('Off-Road', 'Mud/Sand' and 'Snow') as well as 'Auto' and 'Eco' for the tarmac. Off road, the 4x4 model has 219mm of ground clearance and an approach angle of 24-degrees, a departure angle of 29-degrees and a ramp angle of 23.2-degrees. Braked towing capacity is up to 1,500kg with the two mild hybrid models; that falls to 1,000kg with the Hybrid 155.

Design and Build

As its name suggests, the Bigster is a larger size of C-segment family SUV; think Ford Kuga or Volkswagen Tiguan, rather than Nissan Qashqai or SEAT Ateca. It has to be to distance itself from its Duster SUV showroom stablemate, which has a shorter version of the same Renault Group CMF-B platform. There's plenty of pavement presence across 4.57m of length (227mm longer than a Duster), with a bulky rear end and the largest wheels (up to 19-inches) ever fitted to a Dacia. The Y-shaped headlights and tail lamps have been pushed to the edges of the car to give the impression of a wide stance. It's all much as we saw in the concept model of 2021 but with production refinements, like a two-tone roof that is literally printed onto the car. Inside up front, lots of course is borrowed from the Duster, but the Bigster feels different because of its high centre console. Other changes to suit what Dacia describes as 'a greater emphasis on space, ergonomics and comfort' include multi-adjustable seats, dual-zone climate control, extra acoustic padding and thicker glass. The brand's usual 10.1-inch screen features in the centre of the fascia and there's a large thick-rimmed wheel. 'YouClip' dashboard mounting points allow you to add personalised accessories. As you'd expect, there's even more differentiation over the Duster in the second row, which allows much more legroom thanks to a 2,702mm-long wheelbase. Neat moulds in the central rear seat fold down to offer cup holders and device holders and the mid-part of the rear seat can fold down to create an armrest. Headroom is generous and there's plenty of space beneath the front seats to push your feet. A six footer could sit behind an equally lanky driver. In case you're wondering, there's no third row seat option (a la X-Trail or Kodiaq); Dacia believes that would have compromised the basic design. So if you want to seat seven with one of the brand's models, you'll need the smaller Jogger estate. Out back, Dacia claims a class-leading C-segment volume of up to 677-litres (only a five-seat Kodiaq has more). That's with the TCe 140 variant; it's 614-litres for the TCe 130 4x4 and 612-litres for the Hybrid 155. Across the range, there's a height-adjustable boot floor and cargo sidewall levers for retracting the 40:20:40-split rear seat back. With everything flat, there's 2.7m of loading length and up to 1,977-litres of capacity.

Market and Model

There are three Bigster trim levels - 'Expression', 'Journey' and top 'Extreme' - and prices start from around £25,000, which is incredible cheap for an upper mid-sized SUV of this sort. Prices for class rivals are usually around £10,000 more. That base figure gets you the entry-level front-driven 'Expression'-spec TCe 140 derivative; it's around £2,200 more for the mild hybrid 4x4 version. While prices for the top full-Hybrid 155 model start from around £28,000. There's lots of equipment too. Even 'Expression'-spec gets you 17-inch diamond alloy wheels and a 40:20:40-split rear bench with easy fold functionality. This version features Dacia's 'Media Display multimedia system with four speakers and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto wireless connectivity. Mid-level 'Journey'-spec gives you 19-inch semi-diamond cut alloy wheels, bespoke 'Journey' seating upholstery, front passenger seat lumbar support and a powered tailgate. There's also a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, wireless phone charging, high beam assist, heated and electronically adjustable door mirrors and rear window privacy glass. Top 'Extreme' trim comes with 18-inch semi-diamond cut alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, modular roof bars, washable MicroCloud TEP upholstery and rubber mats as standard. Both the top two trim levels can be specified with an optional two-tone black painted roof. A key factor for customers to consider across the range is the car's latest accessory system called 'Youclip'. With this, a series of square mounts positioned around the car can take compatible accessories like a cupholder, a bag hook, an induction charging phone holder, a portable torch and a tablet stand - and in each case can take around 8kg of weight.

Cost of Ownership

Let's get to the figures, which see the front drive mild hybrid model return up to 51.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 122g/km of CO2. That should mean a decent range for the 50-litre fuel tank. For the 4WD mild hybrid auto version, the stats fall to 46.3mpg and 134g/km. Dacia reckons that the Bigster Hybrid is around 150kg lighter than the average full-Hybrid SUV, which certainly helps efficiency figures. The Bigster Hybrid 155 can return up to 60.1mpg on the combined cycle (with up to 105g/km of CO2) and can spend as much as 80% of its time during town driving running on pure electric power. Plus it always starts up in EV mode. There are lots of clever money-saving touches. The skid plates, for example, are apparently 'dyed in mass', which means they're the same colour all the way through, making scratches more difficult to see. On to the warranty. Dacia offers an industry standard 3-year/60,000 miles guarantee from the showroom, backed by three years or 60,000 miles of roadside assistance. For a little more, you can extend the cover by two years or you can up the period covered to a Kia-equalling 7 years and 100,000 miles. Service intervals are every year or every 12,000 miles and since most Renault dealers look after Dacias too, you shouldn't be too far from a specialist workshop. It also helps that there's a timing chain that'll last as long as the engine. Dacia offers a choice of pre-paid servicing schemes covering you for either two years and 24,000 miles or three years and 36,000 miles.

Summary

If, in your search for a spacious five-seat family SUV, you're increasingly unimpressed by expensive EV technology and the spiralling prices of bigger mid-sized crossovers, then this Bigster is for you. For the price of a Qashqai or something even smaller, you get something a lot larger and more usable. And in this case, get it without the standards of low-tech engineering and cheap cabin finishing which once characterised the Dacia marque. As a result, the Bigster should really shake up its segment. It certainly makes most of its similarly-sized rivals look needlessly expensive. Ideally, we'd have liked the option of seven seats and Plug-in Hybrid tech, but if you don't need either of those things, this Bigster should be high on your shopping list; maybe even at the top.

Body Glass

Electric rear windows

Rain sensor

Privacy rear window

Heated rear windows with wash wipe

Automatic wipers

Dark glass

Electric front windows with driver's one touch operation

Tinted acoustic windshield

Brakes

Hill start assist

Advanced emergency braking system

Electric parking brake

ABS and Emergency brake assist

Protective rear brake disc

Vehicle dynamic control

Adaptive hill descent control

Carpets/Rugs

Front and rear rubber floor mats

Rubber reversible boot mat

Communication

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Driver Aids

Front and rear parking sensors

Eco mode

Forward collision warning

Driver attention warning

Electric power assisted steering

Blind spot warning

Multi view camera

Cruise control and speed limiter

Lane departure warning with lane keep assist

Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)

Traffic sign recognition with speed alert/Intelligent speed assist (ISA)

Rescue code

Energy smart management

ADAS Disconnect (advance driving systems disconnect) - My Safety

Driver Convenience

Stop/start system

eCall emergency system

Wireless phone charger

Driver Information

Event data recoder

10" Digital Cluster

10" digital driver display

Driving Mirrors

Electric adjustable/heated door mirrors

Turning signal integrated in door mirrors

Embellishment Trims

Cast forming khaki door deco part

Cast forming khaki dashboard decopart

Entertainment

10.1" media nav live with connected navigation, DAB, smartphone replication, bluetooth, connected services, USB-C plug (front and rear),plus app store

Arkamis sound system with 6 speakers

Exterior Body Features

Body coloured door handles

Shark fin antenna

Side protection

Panoramic opening sunroof

Front and rear body coloured bumpers

Rear side wing doors

Black with white trim radiator grille

Wheel arch protection and snorkel in starkle

Copper rear Dacia lettering

Copper Y-Shaped air vents inserts

Grey modular roof bars

Exterior Lights

High beam assist

High level third rear brake light

LED automatic daytime running lights

Y-shaped LED lighting signature

Auto lighting system

ECO LED Front foglights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Dual zone automatic air conditioning

Interior Features

Heated steering wheel

Central armrest

Gear shift indicator

Synthetic leather steering wheel

Height and depth adjustable steering wheel

Removable parcel shelf

MicroCloud fabric upholstery

Rear 12v plug in boot

False floor

Mid centre console micro cloud with soft feel

Grey gear lever deco part

White steering wheel logo

Safety

Front seatbelt pretensioners

Height adjustable front seatbelts

Side impact protection

Child locks on rear doors

3x3 point rear seatbelts

Tyre pressure monitor

Door open visual and audible warning

Alcohol imoboliser predisposal

6 airbags - front and side driver and passengers including curtain airbags

Driver and passenger seatbelt warning

Seats

Heated front seats

Height adjustable front headrests

Front head restraints

3 rear height adjustable headrests

3 seat bench in 2nd row

Isofix points for child seats in both outer rear seats

6 way adjustable driver seat

4 way adjustable front passenger seat

Single front passenger seat

40/20/40 rear bench with a easy fold function

Security

Central door locking

Engine immobiliser

Keyless entry

Automatic central locking

Vanity Mirrors

Sunvisor for driver and passenger with mirror/ticket holder and light

Wheels

Copper brown centre caps

Wheels - Alloy

18" Diamond cut tagasan black alloy wheels

Emissions - ICE

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 137

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Engine and Drive Train

Engine Code: MWMH48

Cylinders: 3

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Number of Valves: 12

Camshaft: DOHC

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Catalytic Convertor: No

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Transmission: MANUAL

Gears: 6 SPEED

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 75.5

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 89.3

CC: 1199

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 6.1

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 46

General

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Generation Mark: 1

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Badge Engine CC: 1.2

Badge Power: 130

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 3

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 60

NCAP Safety Assist %: 57

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 26A

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 69

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 85

Coin Description: Tce 130

Coin Series: Extreme

Performance

Engine Torque - MKG: 23.5

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Power - BHP: 130

Top Speed: 112

0 to 62 mph (secs): 11.2

Engine Power - KW: 96

Engine Power - RPM: 4500

Engine Torque - RPM: 2250

Engine Torque - NM: 230

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 170

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Rear: 215/60 R18

Tyre Size Front: 215/60 R18

Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY

Space Saver?: 0

Wheel Style: TAGASAN

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4570

Wheelbase: 2704

Width (including mirrors): 2069

Width: 1812

Height: 1657

Height (including roof rails): 1706

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 50

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1500

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 542

Gross Vehicle Weight: 1970

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 629

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 10.97

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1977

Max. Roof Load: 80

No. of Seats: 5

Minimum Kerbweight: 1428

Exterior Body Features

Metallic paint

Two Tone Metallic paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Indigo blue

Metallic - Pearl black

Metallic - Shadow grey

Metallic - Cedar green

Metallic - Terracotta

Paint - Solid

Solid - Glacier white

Paint - Two Tone

Two tone metallic - Shadow grey with black roof,spoiler,copper side mirror,A pillar

Two tone metallic - Indigo blue with black roof,spoiler,copper side mirror,A pillar

Trim - Cloth

MicroCloud fabric - Khaki effect - Extreme

Wheels - Spare

Spare wheel