If you’re wondering what a Dacia Bigster actually costs to buy and run in the UK, here’s the short answer: prices start at £25,215 for the entry-level Expression Mild Hybrid 140, rising to £29,990 for the top-spec Extreme Hybrid 155. No version breaks the £30,000 mark, which is rare for a family SUV this size. That single fact explains most of the Bigster’s appeal, and it’s why so many UK buyers are cross-shopping it against the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson.
This guide covers every trim, engine and running cost you’ll actually need to check before you order one, plus the mistakes that trip up first-time Dacia buyers.
What Is the Dacia Bigster?
The Bigster is Dacia’s largest model, built on a stretched version of the Duster’s platform. It went on sale in the UK in January 2025, with first deliveries arriving in May 2025. Unlike the smaller Duster, there’s no bargain-basement Essential trim here: UK buyers choose between Expression, Journey and Extreme.
It’s a five-seat SUV only. If you need a third row, Dacia points buyers towards the Jogger instead, so don’t expect that option to appear later.
Dacia Bigster UK Prices and Trims (2026)
Here’s how the range breaks down according to RAC Drive’s 2026 pricing:
- Expression Mild Hybrid 140: from £25,215 (entry point, 17in wheels, dual-zone climate control, 10.1in touchscreen)
- Expression Mild Hybrid 130 4×4: add roughly £2,250 for four-wheel drive
- Journey trim: adds around £1,550 over Expression across the range, and brings 19in alloys, an electric tailgate, sat nav and adaptive cruise control
- Extreme trim: from £27,015, adding a panoramic sunroof, washable microfibre seats, hill descent control and 18in wheels
- Hybrid 155 (full hybrid, automatic): from £28,190, topping out at £29,990 in Extreme trim
Prices change often on dealer offers and finance deals, so check Dacia’s official site or a dealer before you commit to a figure. What’s consistent across every reviewer, including Carwow and Auto Express, is that the Bigster undercuts rivals like the Vauxhall Grandland and Citroën C5 Aircross by a wide margin, in some cases by close to £13,000 against the cheapest Volkswagen Tiguan.
Which Dacia Bigster Engine Should You Choose?
There are four powertrain choices, and the right one depends on your mileage and budget:
TCe 140 Mild Hybrid: the sensible default. Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive, and officially around 52mpg according to What Car?’s testing. Most reviewers, including Autocar’s road test team, reckon this is the pick of the range once you factor in price and simplicity.
TCe 130 Mild Hybrid 4×4: the only way to get four-wheel drive on the Bigster. Official economy drops to around 47mpg, and it’s only available on Expression and Extreme trims, not Journey.
Hybrid 155: a full hybrid with an automatic gearbox, shared with Renault’s E-Tech system. Official average is 61.4mpg, though What Car? recorded 48.8mpg in real-world mixed driving, so treat the headline figure as a best-case number.
ECO-G 140 LPG bi-fuel: available on the Mild Hybrid 140, this adds a second fuel tank running on LPG alongside petrol. Dacia says it can cut running costs by around 30%, useful if you cover big annual mileage and have access to LPG filling stations.
Running Costs: Tax, Insurance and Warranty
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED): since the rate changes that took effect on 1 April 2025, first-year VED on the Hybrid 155 is £390, the Mild Hybrid 140 is £440, and the Mild Hybrid 130 is £540, according to GOV.UK’s rate tables reported by heycar. Standard-rate VED after year one currently sits around £200.
Warranty: every Bigster comes with a 3-year/60,000-mile manufacturer warranty as standard. Get the car serviced annually at an authorised Dacia dealer and you can extend cover, year by year, up to 7 years or 75,000 miles under the Dacia Zen scheme. Miss a service at an official dealer and that extension stops building.
Fuel: expect real-world economy in the high-40s to low-50s mpg across the mild hybrid range, and closer to 48 to 50mpg for the Hybrid 155 once you’re outside lab conditions.
Reliability: as of the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, the Bigster hadn’t been on sale long enough to generate its own results, so treat early ownership reports with some caution and check for updated survey data before you buy.
How to Buy a Dacia Bigster in the UK
The process is straightforward, but a few steps catch people out:
- Configure online through Dacia’s UK site or a franchised dealer to see accurate on-the-road pricing for your chosen trim and engine.
- Book a test drive. Reviewers consistently note the ride firms up on Journey’s 19in wheels, so try before you commit to the bigger alloys.
- Compare finance. Dacia and its dealer network offer PCP and Contract Hire through Mobilize Lease&Co, with representative examples typically based on 10,000 miles a year and an 8p-per-mile excess mileage charge.
- Check current offers. Dacia’s own finance promotions run on fixed windows, for example vehicles ordered between 1 July and 30 September 2026 and registered by 31 December 2026, so offers are time-limited and worth confirming before you order.
- Sort your part-exchange separately from any advertised discount, since dealers sometimes bundle the two into one headline saving figure.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Buyers researching the dacia bigster most often get caught out by one of these:
- Assuming Essential trim is available in the UK. It isn’t: Expression is the entry point here, even though Essential exists in other European markets.
- Overlooking that 4×4 isn’t available on Journey trim, only Expression and Extreme.
- Taking the Hybrid 155’s official mpg at face value rather than checking real-world test figures.
- Forgetting the Dacia Zen warranty extension requires annual dealer servicing, not just any garage.
- Comparing list price only, without checking VED banding, since the three engines sit in different first-year tax bands.
Dacia Bigster vs Rivals
Against the Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, the Bigster’s main advantage is price: even the most expensive Bigster costs less than most rivals’ starting price. What you give up is some interior polish and a still-unproven reliability record. Against the MG HS and other budget Chinese SUVs, the comparison is closer, though the Bigster has the edge on ride and Dacia’s longer UK dealer history.
FAQs
Is the Dacia Bigster available with four-wheel drive?
Yes, but only with the TCe 130 Mild Hybrid engine, and only on Expression or Extreme trim. Journey trim is front-wheel drive only, and adding 4×4 typically costs around £2,250 over the equivalent front-wheel-drive version.
What is the cheapest Dacia Bigster you can buy?
The Expression trim with the TCe 140 Mild Hybrid engine is the cheapest option, priced from £25,215 according to RAC Drive’s 2026 pricing. This gets a six-speed manual gearbox, 17in wheels and a 10.1in touchscreen as standard.
Does the Dacia Bigster have a seven-seat option?
No, the Bigster is a five-seater only. If you need three rows of seats, Dacia’s Jogger model is the alternative, since there’s no plan to add a longer Bigster variant.
How much is road tax on a Dacia Bigster?
First-year VED varies by engine: £390 for the Hybrid 155, £440 for the Mild Hybrid 140, and £540 for the Mild Hybrid 130, based on rates that took effect on 1 April 2025. Standard-rate tax after year one is currently around £200.
Is the Dacia Bigster reliable?
It’s too new to have appeared in independent reliability surveys such as What Car?’s. Dacia’s wider range has performed reasonably well in owner satisfaction surveys historically, but it’s worth checking for updated reliability data before buying.
What warranty does the Dacia Bigster come with?
A 3-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, extendable to 7 years or 75,000 miles through the Dacia Zen scheme if you service the car annually at an authorised Dacia dealer.
Can you get an LPG Dacia Bigster in the UK?
Yes, the ECO-G 140 bi-fuel version runs on petrol and LPG, giving Dacia’s claimed range of up to 900 miles and running costs around 30% lower than petrol alone, though check current dealer stock as availability can vary.
Which trim should I choose: Expression, Journey or Extreme?
Expression suits buyers who want the core kit without extras, Journey adds comfort features like sat nav and an electric tailgate, and Extreme leans towards a rugged, outdoor look with a sunroof and hill descent control. Several reviewers, including Autocar, favour Expression for value.
