Dacia found its area of interest in providing sensible compact latest cars at sensible prices to retail buyers. Now its newest launch, the Bigster, takes it into latest territory.
Dacia Bigster will compete within the mid-size SUV segment against big-selling cars corresponding to Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai, already popular with private buyers and Motability customers.
It’s tough competition indeed, but according to Dacia’s brand mission, the Bigster was designed to supply maximum value. It provides lots of space, an attention-grabbing design and decent equipment for so much cheaper than just about all of its rivals.
Prices of Dacia Bigster start at £25,215 and top out at almost £30,000 – which is roughly where the Kia Sportage starts. The Bigster’s biggest direct threat really is the MG HS, which has an extended warranty and similar pricing.
The Bigster undercuts all its rivals, apart from the MG HS. And herein lies the largest problem for Dacia. MG has managed to deliver a automotive that is healthier to drive and feels less like a budget model. The HS also has the choice of a more tax-friendly plug-in hybrid, in addition to an everyday hybrid. The HS does have a smaller boot, and a way more complicated infotainment system, nonetheless.
The Bigster line-up consists of three trim grades, starting with budget-friendly Expression, then a step as much as Journey for a more technology-packed automotive or Extreme when you want something more rugged.
While Dacia hasn’t packed the Bigster filled with the latest and biggest technology available in the marketplace – it leaves that to its group sister brand Renault – it hasn’t exactly skimped either. There’s dual zone climate control, a digital instrument cluster, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and electric folding door mirrors all as standard. Buyers also get a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
So the essentials expected by a brand new automotive buyer are there. Then Journey and Extreme models go one step further, with integrated sat-nav, adaptive cruise control, improved speakers, keyless entry and a powered tailgate. It is not “basic transport”.
The infotainment system’s user interface is straightforward and simple to become familiar with, and a separate row of switches for the climate controls makes day-to-day life much easier.
Each the central touchscreen and digital instrument cluster have a high resolution and neat graphics. Trip computer functions, in addition to the cruise control, are adjusted via buttons on the steering wheel. Audio controls are mounted on a stalk.
The Bigster scored three stars out of 5 within the Euro NCAP safety test. It scored 69% for adult protection, where class leaders manage at the very least 80%. Child protection was higher, at 85%, but its lowest rating (57%) was for the performance of its safety assistance systems.
Like all latest cars, the Bigster comes with lane departure warning, speed limit assist, autonomous emergency braking and driver attention warning. These systems are largely unintrusive in normal driving but Dacia does provide a preset function so drivers can easily apply their preferred settings for every of those systems.
Buyers considering the Dacia Bigster will find it has an interior that focuses on robustness and practicality, fairly than outright comfort and convenience, as befits its price point. There are no soft-touch plastics, delicate detailing or fancy leather upholstery. It doesn’t feel particularly upmarket, yet the design is absolutely smart and continues its robust and rugged appearance.
The cabin offers loads of room for adult occupants, because of its high roofline, and a 677-litre boot capability is obtainable within the petrol-powered Bigster, but in hybrid models that’s reduced to 612 litres of space.
There are three powertrain option available on the brand new Bigster, all using some type of petrol hybrid system.
The Hybrid 155 is the flagship powertrain and it’s all-new for the Renault Group. Built to interchange the widely used 1.6-litre hybrid unit, the brand new system uses a 1.8-litre engine. The hybrid system has a bigger battery, too, extending its capability.
Within the Bigster, it’s potent enough for a 0-62mph time of lower than 10 seconds. As a ‘full’ hybrid, the powertrain also enables a level of zero-emission running, mostly in low-speed manoeuvring or in stop-start traffic. The motor can even operate under light throttle, at higher speeds, for brief periods of time.
During our testing the Bigster Hybrid was managing almost 50mpg. It prefers low speed urban driving, where the electrical motor can do a few of the work, to higher speed motorway runs. Within the latter, economy was hovering around 35mpg at constant speeds.
The 1.2-litre mild hybrid engine – offered with 140PS with front-wheel-drive or 130PS with all-wheel-drive – feels more conventional to drive, but buyers must expect higher emissions and heavier fuel consumption.
What’s certain is that the Bigster gives Dacia dealerships a possibility to tempt in additional potential buyers who’ve needed to look elsewhere for a bigger family automotive until now.
This Article First Appeared At www.am-online.com
