5 reasons why the new Dacia Bigster is better than the Volkswagen Tiguan – plus three things which may put you off
April 16, 2025 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
We’ve driven the new Dacia Bigster, and it’s an excellent family SUV which offers an awful lot of space and tech for not a lot of cash. Here are five reasons you should buy this car over something more expensive, plus three things which aren’t so good.
Dacia has been on a roll this past year or so. First it gave us the excellent new Duster, and now we have its larger stablemate: the Bigster.
The Bigster provides a great-value alternative to cars like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage and Peugeot 3008, and there are a few reasons Dacia’s latest SUV stands out against such stiff competition. Here are five great things about the new Dacia Bigster.
1. Value for money
The first and most obvious reason to consider the new Dacia Bigster is the price. At just over £25,000 it significantly undercuts all its main competitors, while still offering a huge amount of space and decent equipment. Even the range-topping version with a hybrid engine comes in at under £30,000, over £5,000 less than a base-spec Volkswagen Tiguan.
2. Immense practicality
The Dacia Bigster is the most practical SUV you can buy for this sort of money. The massive 677-litre boot is 25 litres bigger than the Tiguan’s, and it’s almost 90 litres more than you get in a Peugeot 3008. You also get cavernous rear legroom, as well as plenty of interior storage.
3. Design: Style and substance in one package
Rewind a few years and Dacias were cheap and practical, but fairly dull to look at. Well that’s not something you can say about the new Bigster. The rugged and boxy design looks great with its slim LED headlights and chunky black cladding. It looks much more expensive than it actually is.
4. Technology: refreshingly simple
Whereas a lot of new cars are getting increasingly more complicated with massive touchscreens hiding all the controls, the Dacia Bigster comes with all the essentials you want without going overboard. You get physical climate control buttons which are easy to use, but all cars still get a sensible-sized 10.1-inch screen with wireless smartphone mirroring, a 360-degree reversing camera and dual-zone climate control.
5. YouClip accessories
The Dacia Bigster is fitted with something called “YouClip”, which essentially comprises a handful of mounting points around the car which you can use to attach accessories. You can add things like cupholders, phone mounts, coat hangers, storage pouches and extra lights.
Three things which may put you off the Dacia Bigster
No car is perfect, and there are a few things about the Dacia Bigster which may make you think twice about buying one. Here are three annoying things about the new Bigster
1. Cheap-feeling plastics
You’d expect to find cheap and scratchy plastics in a budget-friendly car like the Bigster, but some of the materials used in the interior take this too far. The strip which runs across the dashboard has a pretty nasty texture to it for example, but it does at least feel hard-wearing. It’s easily forgiven at this price, but if you’re after a premium-feeling cabin then a Peugeot 3008 is a better bet.
2. Wind noise
The Dacia Bigster is easy to drive around town and decent on a country road, but get it up to motorway speeds and you’ll notice quite a lot of wind noise making its way into the cabin. It’s a shame really, because otherwise it’s quite a comfortable cruiser.
3. No diesel engines
You can spec your Bigster with either a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.8-litre hybrid, but unfortunately there’s no option of a diesel for those of you doing a lot of motorway miles. At least the hybrid is still economical, it’ll easily return 55mpg on a run, but if you really want an oil-burner then check out the Volkswagen Tiguan.
These are pretty small gripes in an otherwise excellent family car, but if any of these put you off then check out our list of the best SUVs on sale at the moment to compare all of the Bigster’s alternatives.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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