Dacia Bigster Hybrid 155 driving report: SUV at a small car price

Contents

Dacia is venturing into previously uncharted territory: the Bigster is considerably larger than the successful Duster, and at 4.57 m long, has reached the size of a Ford Kuga or VW Tiguan. Financially, however, the Bigster is at least one league below. The basic model is available from 23,990 euros, while the “Hybrid 155” we drove costs at least 28,590 euros. If you invest a little more than 30,000 euros, you get a very comprehensive range of equipment. Even fully equipped, the Bigster remains under 34,000 euros. Even a bare-bones Tiguan base model is a few thousand euros more. Does the Bigster have more to offer than unrivaled prices?

Long in the back

The Bigster towers over the Duster by almost 23 cm, but the wheelbase only accounts for a small part of this increase – between the axles is just five centimeters. The Bigster has slightly more space for the occupants than the Duster (test), but the differences are not huge. The trunk is quite different. With a comparable engine (Hybrid 140), the Duster has 430 liters, the Bigster 667, while the Bigster Hybrid 155 still has 546 liters. The significantly longer car therefore has more space for luggage, which is hardly surprising, as the greatest increase in length is in the rear.

Dacia confidently proclaims that the Bigster is perfectly equipped for long trips with the family, thanks to its thicker windows and more insulating materials. However, this is where the first compromises have to be made because despite the promises, the SUV is louder than the competitors mentioned. The interior trim is also rather plain, despite the clever graining of the plastics. On the other hand, the workmanship and seats are okay. All the things that are actually relevant can be operated intuitively, and the driver generally gets to grips with the rest quickly. The large panoramic roof is standard in the “Extreme” trim. It is pleasing that Dacia refuses to follow the questionable fashion of non-opening glass roofs. Unlike the similarly sized Renault Austral, for example, the Bigster can also be ventilated in this way.

Only the bare essentials

It must be absolutely clear that Dacia cannot work magic either. Only the bare essentials are offered in terms of infotainment and assistance. Nevertheless, Dacia intends to keep the operating system up to date with over-the-air updates for five years. The large navigation system includes eight years of online traffic data – in an Opel Mokka costs several hundred euros more. Even the list of charging stations is kept up to date – What good is that in a Bigster? The app store offers the most popular music streaming services, which can be downloaded and installed free of charge. For the streaming itself, however, you need a smartphone that enables its connection to the internet via tethering. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can also be used in Dacia without a cable; only the most expensive equipment lines have an inductive charging cradle.

The range of assistance features remains limited. Dacia does not venture any further than adaptive cruise control, and even this is only available in conjunction with the “Hybrid 155”. The mandatory sign recognition also has weaknesses in this car, which is why the lack of an automatic takeover of recognized speed limits does not appear to be dramatic. The dipped beam has LEDs, the main beam is provided by halogen lamps. A high beam assistant switches it off if other road users could be dazzled. Matrix light is not available from Dacia, even in the top model, and this also applies to features such as Lane Change Assist or Park Assist. In the Bigster, the driver has to do a little more than in fully equipped competitors.

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Dacia Bigster (11 Bilder)

Three drive systems

There are currently three drive systems in the Bigster, which at first glance appear to be close to each other in terms of engine and driving performance. The top model we drove has 115 kW, but anyone who chooses it to be able to drive as fast as possible should refrain from this idea. This is because the system performance is to a certain extent a by-product of the technically unusual design. Dacia has adopted the idea of the multi-mode gearbox from Nissan and Renault. The focus is on operating the 1.8-liter petrol engine under ideal load as often as possible and thus reducing consumption. In the WLTP, this succeeds brilliantly: the hybrid 155 is specified with 4.7  liters in the cycle and is therefore at least 0.8  liters below the other versions. In simulated city traffic, 5.2 liters are specified for the Hybrid 155, while the other versions are between 6.9 and 7.1 liters. Test cars with this drive have proven in the past that the concept always comes into its own, particularly well when the speed is low and, above all, variable.

Variable cooperation

A 1.4 kWh battery, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 80 kW and an electric motor that offers 36 kW are combined. The multi-mode gearbox only has four gears for the combustion engine, but opens up many possibilities for the two engines to work together. Depending on the load requirements, this drivetrain can be operated purely electrically or with a combustion engine, including all conceivable intermediate stages – serially, for example. Technically, this remains exciting, and consumption is lower than that of many direct competitors. This works, at least as long as the driver accepts the concept, because it is of course, easy to undermine it. High sustained speeds on the freeway even out the advantage over the other Bigster drives.

Peculiarities of the drive

The driver also has to get used to a few peculiarities of the drive. In city traffic, for example, the control system sometimes switches off the combustion engine if the charge level of the small buffer battery and the load requirement allow sole electric drive. Conversely, the petrol engine sometimes runs hard under load, even though the driver only wants to roll along smoothly. Those with an interest in technology may enjoy this, but others will find it irritating. And those who push the drive to speed will find that every gear change is clearly noticeable, given that the combustion engine only has four gears.

The handling is unobtrusive, although potential buyers should steer clear of the 19-inch wheels. This is because they make the handling less comfortable. If you are in a real hurry, you will be bothered by noticeable body roll when cornering at speed or changing direction quickly. The steering is smooth, which makes parking easier in particular. The brakes are not particularly easy to modulate – others manage the transition between recuperation and deceleration via the service brake more inconspicuously.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, there are a few little things that prospective Bigster buyers will have to come to terms with, although no competitor is free of individual weaknesses. The new SUV from Dacia is not as quiet as some others in this segment, and hectic drivers will not be happy with it either. It does not offer any extensive multimedia gadgetry and the range of assistance is limited. However, an SUV of this size is only available from other manufacturers as a used car for around 30,000 euros. Anyone who thinks this is the better deal may be right. For Dacia, however, the concept probably also works in this class. The Sandero has been a success for some time now: it is currently the best-selling car in the EU.

(dmk)