Cheapest Dacia Bigster vs priciest Dacia Duster: which budget SUV is best?

If you asked me to recommend a cheap and cheerful family car, chances are I’ll point you towards a Dacia. The Duster and Bigster are two of the best-value SUVs on the market, but choosing between them is harder than you might think.

A top-spec Dacia Duster costs almost the same as a basic Bigster, and on the face of it there’s not much between the two in terms of design and engines. So if you’ve got £25,000 to spend, which should you buy? I’m going to explain the differences to help you decide.

Dacia Duster vs Dacia Bigster: prices and standard kit

Let’s start by talking brass tacks. The most expensive Dacia Duster you can buy is the Extreme model, and it starts from just over £24,300. This rises to around £25,000 if you fancy a colour other than white.

As standard this car gets a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera system and 18-inch alloy wheels.

For a smidge over £25,000 you can get the Dacia Bigster, which is, err, bigger. This buys you the basic Expression model, but it still comes with a decent amount of kit. You get the same 10.1-inch touchscreen as the Duster, a surround-view camera, 17-inch alloy wheels and automatic climate control.

If you want heated seats and a heated steering wheel, you’ll have to spend an extra £1,500 or so on the mid-spec Journey model.

Both the Dacia Bigster and Duster are available with an average saving of around £1,200 through Carwow, so make sure to check out the latest deals so you know you’re paying the best price.

Dacia Duster vs Dacia Bigster: interior and practicality

Up front, both the Duster and Bigster look pretty similar. They both have a similar upright dashboard with the infotainment screen sat proud on top, although the range-topping Duster has some copper accents to lift things, as well as fancy seat upholstery which is easier to clean.

Material quality is basically the same across both cars, which is to say they’re solid but built to a budget. Everything feels robust, but there are no soft-touch plastics to be found. They may not be plush, but they’ll stand up to any punishment from rowdy kids.

It’s further back that you really start to notice the difference between these two cars. As the name suggests, the Bigster is bigger. It’s more than 20cm longer than the Duster, and this translates to more rear legroom and a larger boot.

You get a whopping 677 litres of cargo space in the Bigster, which is over 200 litres more than you get in the Duster and 86 litres up on a Kia Sportage.

So if you’ve got a growing family and need the most space for your money, the Dacia Bigster is definitely the way to go.

Dacia Duster vs Dacia Bigster: engines and fuel economy

Both the Dacia Duster and Bigster are offered with the same range of engines, kicking off with a 1.2-litre mild hybrid driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. In the Duster it’ll return up to 52mpg, and despite the added size the Bigster will do the same.

Then there’s a hybrid engine which pairs a 1.8-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. This is the only way to get an automatic gearbox in either car, and it’s a smooth system with plenty of poke. It’ll set you back around £3,000 more, but it’ll return more than 60mpg in either car. That makes up for the lack of a diesel option in my books.

You can also get the Duster with four-wheel drive, and it’s more capable off-road than most family SUVs. We tested it against a Toyota Land Cruiser, and it managed to hold its own on the rough stuff against an £80,000 4X4. A four-wheel drive Bigster is also coming, and it should be just as good at tackling rough terrain.

Dacia Duster vs Dacia Bigster: design

These two cars share very similar styling cues. Both have a blunt, upright front end with chunky lights and rugged cladding, and they share a similar tail light design as well. It’s only really the side profile which sets them apart, because the Bigster is noticeably longer.

Given that we’re comparing a top-spec Duster to a basic Bigster, there are some slight visual differences which give away the spec changes. The Duster Extreme has 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Bigster Expression has 17-inch rims which look slightly lost in the arches.

You also get some copper accents on the Duster, such as the mirror caps, but that’s about it in terms of visual differences. Both look rugged and purposeful, with boxy dimensions which stand out against the smooth, pebble-like SUVs you get these days.

Dacia Duster vs Dacia Bigster: the final verdict

So then, which of these two cars is the best value for money? Well I reckon it’s the Dacia Bigster. There are very few differences in equipment between the top-spec Duster and the cheapest Bigster, and you get loads more interior space as well.

That said, if you don’t need the added space and appreciate luxuries like heated seats, a Dacia Duster Extreme is a great buy. The larger alloy wheels help it stand out as well.

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.

Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.