By James Stinson
Prices for the new Dacia Bigster, one of the most anticipated new cars of 2025, have been revealed with entry level versions available from £24,995. The Bigster sits above the Duster in Dacia’s range and goes head-to-head with the likes of VW’s Tiguan, Hyundai’s Tuscon and the Kia Sportage. Crucially, Dacia is staying true to its roots promising the Bigster will appeal to consumers who “face spiralling costs” but “want a brand new SUV without compromising on comfort, performance and space”. Bigster will be available in the UK with three trim levels. These include Expression, as well as two top-specification finishes – Journey and Extreme. Both top trims offer different equipment, but have complementary features, all for a similar price.
The entire range comes in under £30,000 on-the-road. The Bigster features the robust, angular looks that have become so popular in this class. A recycled, unpainted material called Starkle is used for the wheel arches and side skirts adding to the rugged look and protecting the car from bumps and scrapes. In keeping with the latest Dacia models, Y-shaped details feature heavily and are part of the front and rear light clusters. Inside the Bigster there’s a focus on space and practicality. It sports a particularly large boot – some 667 litres – and the rear seats can be folded flat with a 40/20/40 split to maximise flexibility. Entry-level Expression trim features Dacia’s Media Display multimedia system with four speakers and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto wireless connectivity. T
he range then branches off to two higher levels: Extreme (from £26,495) and Journey (from £26,245). These are both well-equipped with Extreme geared towards those seeking outdoor adventures and Journey aimed towards more lifestyle focused customers. Extreme trim comes with rubber boot and floor mats as standard, plus washable upholstery so any mud or spills can easily be cleaned. Base level Expression cars come with dual-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch touchscreen and 7-inch driver display, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Extreme models gain features such as satnav, hill descent control and an opening panoramic sunroof – a first for a Dacia. Meanwhile Journey cars get more creature comforts such as a central armrest, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a wireless phone charger and adaptive cruise control.
You’ll also be able to add an array of accessories. These include an organiser for the back of the front seat, a Sleep Pack to transform the interior into a double bed and a rear armrest which can be transformed into a backpack. Additionally, there’s Dacia’s YouClip system with anchor points around the car enabling you to attach things like phone cradles and cupholders. There’s a choice of three engines including a new automatic 155 horsepower hybrid motor, with a towing capacity of around one tonne.
This version can remain in all-electric mode up to 80% of the time in the city, says Dacia. Alternatively, there’s a 140 horsepower mild hybrid with a six-speed manual gearbox. These are both two-wheel drive options. Additionally, you can go for the fourwheel drive set up which uses the same manual 130 horsepower mild hybrid engine as the new Duster. All-wheel drive and more powerful engines push the price closer to £30,000. Still eye-catchingly cheap compared to rivals!