Dacia Bigster Hybrid surprises with space and economy. A new SUV without unnecessary gadgets
The new Dacia Bigster, as the model name suggests, is the largest model in the brand's modern history. Moreover, it is available in a strong, hybrid version, with a drive of 155 horsepower. It is also used by Renault, the brand that owns Dacia.
Let's start with the qualities that I appreciate most about the Bigster. First of all, it's a really spacious car. It is 457 cm long and is over 20 cm longer than the well-known Duster in our country. These dimensions mean that the interior offers space worthy of a comfortable family car. Well, these predictions are indeed 100% true. In the front you can sit very comfortably on well-shaped seats, and in the back there is as much space as in middle-class cars.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
However, once I get behind the wheel, I can easily see that it is a Dacia, not a Renault. However, we have hard materials around us instead of soft materials, fabric upholstery or ecological leather. Nevertheless, the individual elements are well put together. So I don't complain about its reliability. And I don't think that this choice of materials is a disadvantage of the Bigster. Simply put, in the case of Dacia, we don't pay for such extras. It may not be a cheap brand anymore, but it certainly has pragmatism in its DNA.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Another argument for this claim is the Bigster's trunk. This is a huge space with a volume of 546 liters (667 liters in the version with a traditional combustion drive), which can be easily enlarged by folding the backrest. Importantly, they can be divided in 40/20/40 proportions. This allows you to transport long items, even when two people are sitting in the back. And one more thing: after folding the backrest, we have a flat floor up to 2.7 meters long.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Importantly, the Bigster also includes many intelligent solutions. For example, the lamp that illuminates the trunk is actually a flashlight – it can be easily removed and becomes a portable light source. Interestingly, charged via USB-C. Another simple idea of Dacia designers is numerous mounting points: in the cabin, in the trunk, even on the seat headrests, where you can attach, for example, a cup holder, a bag hanger or a tablet for rear passengers.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Dacia Bigster – electronics without gadgets
There is still the issue of electronics, which are indispensable in a modern car. Also in this respect, Bigster is very pragmatic, which for me is an important advantage. For fun, we have a phone, tablet and computer. A car is a tool for getting around. That's why we have a 10.1-inch screen in the center of the cockpit, which is indispensable nowadays, and in place of the indicators there is another screen, this time 10-inch (in versions with higher equipment levels).
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
The entire system is easy to use and designed so that everyone can quickly access individual options. It is far from the complex software we know from e.g. Volkswagen Group cars. Of course, we can easily connect our smartphone: via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Nothing more is needed.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Dacia Bigster – universal drive
As you can see, I have no complaints about the Bigster's interior. How does the hybrid drive work? As I have already mentioned, it is the same system that Renault uses, for example, in the Captur. It consists of a naturally aspirated 1.8 petrol engine (107 HP), an electric motor (50 HP) and a starter-generator that can add another 20 horses. In total, we have almost 160 horses at our disposal, which translates into very good performance. The Dacia SUV eagerly increases speed, and thanks to appropriate juggling of drive sources, it does so while consuming little fuel. And this in all conditions.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
In the city, the car performs great: it always starts using the electric engine and does it with comfortable smoothness. What's more, we drive almost at a drop of fuel, which means a result of 4.5 l/100 km. Let me remind you, I am writing about an over 4.5-meter SUV!
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
And what is it like on the route? Also very convenient and economical. On an expressway, the result will be around 6 l/100 km, while on national roads with a speed limit of 90 km/h we will easily go below 5 l/100 km. What does this mean? Well, even a large, family SUV can be very economical. The only thing that can be irritating is the way the combustion engine sometimes works: when the battery runs out of power, it revs up to high speed to recharge it. This also happens when driving slowly in the city and then, for a few minutes, you can clearly hear the combustion engine running. And one more minus: on the highway, at 140 km/h, the Dacia is louder than in the Renault Captur with the same drive.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Dacia Bigster – is it worth buying?
The hybrid Dacia Bigster is a very pragmatic car: spacious, economical, with equipment that will meet the basic needs of most drivers. I also appreciate the car's hybrid drive, which works great on the road and in the city. We get all this for less than PLN 125,000. PLN, and in today's times it is a very favorable price. Especially if we take into account the dimensions of the car.
Dacia Bigster
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Jarosław Horodecki / Onet
Dacia Bigster Hybrid, technical data:
R4 petrol engine, 1.8, 109 HP, 172 Nm (combustion), 49 HP, 205 Nm (electric), 20 HP (electric), 156 HP (total). Multi-mode automatic transmission. Acceleration 0-100 km/h in 9.7 seconds. Maximum speed – 180 km/h. Average fuel consumption: 4.7 l/100 km (WLTP). Price: from PLN 124,900.
The car was loaned by the brand's importer and returned after the test.
