It’s starting to date, but the other cornerstone of the “Renaulution” strategic plan of January 2021, in addition to the new Renault 5, was the Dacia Bigster. Unveiled then in concept form, it confirmed the Romanian brand’s desire to advance in the C segment and remain among the leaders in sales to individuals in Europe.
Revealed today, the Bigster actually represents an opportunity for Dacia to move up a notch. In terms of size and in terms of equipment.
Discover the Dacia Bigster 2024 in video
Dacia Bigster 2024: stylish SUV
The time of the first Logans (twenty years ago) also seems very far away. Of the original Logan, the Bigster obviously keeps nothing. Exit, moreover, the low-cost for Dacia: the firm now prefers to describe itself as essential, cool or even robust. Just that!
The turning point has already begun in recent years, culminating in the very latest Duster, which we tested here. The Bigster follows suit: a sort of elongated Duster, it measures 4.57 meters long (that’s 23 centimeters longer than a Duster) and clearly fits into the C segment, the one occupied, for example , the Renault Austral or the Volkswagen Tiguan.
At 1.71 meters high, the Dacia Bigster 2024 is 5 centimeters taller than the Duster.
To – still – mark the difference, the Dacia Bigster 2024 offers a few niceties, compared to the Duster. At the front, for example, the grille benefits from more sophisticated patterns. On the front doors (common with the Duster, like the hood, fenders or windshield), the part in starckle of the Duster leaves room for two elements: one painted, the other in plastic.
To continue with the profile, the rear doors are longer, as is the wheelbase, while on the bow, the lights are LEDs. The design of the tailgate, particularly around the license plate, has been slightly revised.
To look more “high-end” than a Duster, the 2024 Dacia Bigster has more painted body elements.
Finally, other distinctive signs of this Bigster: its new… 19-inch rims – optional on Journey (on a Dacia, yes! However, they remain optional, on the most high-end finishing level) and the possibility of ‘opt (at an additional cost always) for a two-tone paint. Two-tone paint that we see in these official photos and our exclusive images: the black roof is “married” to a new body color, called Indigo Blue. Even in the choice of colors, the Bigster looks “serious”.
Dacia Duster 2024: better equipped than a Duster
A seriousness that we also find on board. The center console of this Bigster is different from that of the Duster, at least on the automatic transmission versions. It is more prominent and the storage spaces are larger. Also, and this is the first time in a Dacia, this central console can integrate… an armrest, housing refrigerated storage!
For the rest, the dashboard of the Dacia Bigster 2024 is obviously very close to that of its little brother, although the name “Bigster” is not written on it (this is the case in the Duster, where the name of the model is registered). All driving-related information is gathered in the digital instrumentation behind the steering wheel (ranging from 7 to 10 inches depending on the trim level).
Information relating to the multimedia system can be found on the 10.1-inch central touchscreen, standard on all Bigsters. “ An elegant green line connects these two screens, promoting their visual integration with the dashboard » adds Dacia, which also equips its Bigster with dual-zone air conditioning, an induction charger for smartphones and even reinforced acoustic insulation compared to the Duster.
It is possible to have a panoramic glass roof, extending over 120 centimeters (and which can open to 35), from the third finishing level (out of four).
Dacia announces that it offers the most generous headroom in the segment on this Bigster. We haven’t checked, but in any case, we confirm that passengers over 1.80 meters tall can feel very comfortable in the back!
As you can imagine, the habitability of the Bigster is also greater than that of the Duster. Legroom and headroom are increased. The trunk, for its part, has a giant volume of 667 dm3 (thermal version). Chest which also has two parts and a function Easy fold to fold the backrests. The rear seat can also be folded 40/20/40, with the possibility, if there are only two passengers, of lowering the central part of the backrest to form an armrest including two cup holders and a smartphone holder. .
The height of luxury on a Dacia: the tailgate is electric (on the highest level of finish)! Ah, and last point, which we hadn’t yet mentioned: the Dacia Bigster 2024 is a 5-seater model. No 7-seater version is planned (it seems that the 7-seater versions are not really popular with customers of this type of SUV).
Dacia Bigster 2024: a new 155 hp hybrid engine
Proof of the more “high-end” desires of this Bigster compared to other models in the Dacia range: its engines develop no less than 130 hp.
In addition to a 130 hp TCe gasoline engine (3 cylinders, with 48V micro-hybridization), associated with a manual gearbox and all-wheel drive, the Bigster is also offered with an “Eco-G” engine (understand gasoline – LPG). ) of 140 hp (also mHEV) or with a 140 hp TCe petrol engine (an extrapolation of the 130 hp unit mentioned above, but with a slightly more advanced level of hybridization).
Finally, as our title suggested, the Dacia Bigster 2024 has a 155 hp gasoline hybrid engine. It is the first car from the Renault group to benefit from it. This powertrain consists of a 107 hp 4-cylinder gasoline engine associated with two electric motors (a 50 hp motor and a
high voltage starter/generator), a 1.4 kWh (230 V) battery and an automatic gearbox, with four gears dedicated to the thermal unit and two allocated to the electric.
This configuration offers more power (+ 15 hp) than on the Duster and Jogger, more torque (170 Nm for the combustion engine alone, i.e. + 20 Nm) and a greater towing capacity (+ 250 kg, i.e. approximately 1 tonne). According to Dacia, regenerative braking, combined with the energy recovery capacity of the battery and the efficiency of the automatic transmission, would provide up to 80% of all-electric city driving time.
Dacia Bigster 2024: four trim levels and prices still unknown
The Dacia Bigster 2024 range is structured around four finishes:
- Bigster Essential : 17” alloy wheels, fixed roof bars, Media Display with 10.1 inch central screen…
- Bigster Expression : adds dual-zone automatic air conditioning or even an electric parking brake.
- Bigster Extreme : adds 18” alloy wheels, modular roof bars, Copper Brown exterior and interior decorative elements and even the panoramic sunroof.
- Bigster Journey : adds the power tailgate, the hands-free key system or the high center console with armrest.
Please note that currently, 70% of Dacias sold are in Extreme and Journey finishes. Like its colleagues in the range, the Bigster will benefit from accessories Dacia InNatureincluding in particular a pack sleepa roof rack or a tent.
We are lucky: this sketch of the Dacia Bigster 2024 was dedicated to us!
Prices will be announced at a later date. Dacia “promises”, in any case, that prices for thermal engines will start below 25,000 euros and those for hybrid versions below 30,000 euros. Enough to allow the Romanian brand to enter the C-SUV arena through the front door, one of the busiest segments of the European market. And for good reason: it represents 23% of the market and nearly 3 million customers.
The Dacia Bigster 2024 will theoretically be cheaper, go to “the essentials” as Dacia likes to point out (by maximizing, moreover, the use of recycled materials) and be a priori lighter (the manufacturer estimates that this Bigster would be 10% lighter, or 150 kg, than the average of its competitors).
Photos: Guillaume AGEZ
Official photos Dacia Bigster 2024
