Dacia Bigster: 'roomy, economical, well equipped'

Dacia's first foray into the family SUV market, the Bigster is essentially a stretched version of the Duster, said Car Magazine. At 4.57m long, it’s a bit bigger than Dacia's MPV, the Jogger, but there's no option for seven seats. There are three powertrains on offer: a front-wheel drive 138bhp mild hybrid 1.2- litre three-cylinder; a four- wheel drive version of the mild hybrid; and the flagship 155bhp front- wheel drive full hybrid.

Affordability is key for Dacia, and the Bigster is "a blinder of a deal", said Autocar. It is "roomy, economical, well equipped and broadly quite nice to drive". Like the Duster, it isn't sporty; the steering is light and imprecise, but it's intuitive and relaxing. There’s a fair bit of roll and the cabin is noisy on motorways, but with its soft suspension it rides pretty well. And the assisted driving systems are easy to switch off.

The Bigster is "for people with nothing to prove"; "it's not a flash car, but it is a good one", said Top Gear Magazine. There are three trims and extras include a panoramic roof and wireless charging, but you can't avoid the cabin’s hard plastics. All models get a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a digital driver's display. At 667 litres, there's loads of boot space, and legroom is generous too.

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