Dacia Duster or Dacia Bigster - which is better?

You were thinking of the Dacia Duster, but you've discovered that the Bigster is also coming and now you're undecided? Here's which Dacia SUV is best for you

Photo by: Dacia

By: Fabio Gemelli

Oct 12, 2024 at 5:53am ET

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You are looking for an SUV, you were interested in the Dacia Duster, but you have discovered that the Dacia Bigster is coming. If you are now undecided as to which model is 'ideal' for your needs, you have come to the right place.

Dimensions, load capacity, engines, equipment and prices: here is all you need to compare (on paper) the two new SUVs that take the traditional Dacia values of convenience, simplicity and practicality to an even higher level.

Value for money? Better Duster

If the most important thing for you is to spend as little as possible to buy a car, then the Dacia Duster could be the right solution, given that the basic Essential version with Eco-G 100 LPG/petrol engine costs €19,700.

Dacia Duster (2024), front three-quarter view

For the larger Dacia Bigster, which can be ordered from January 2025, price lists have not yet been finalised, but during the press presentation CEO Denis Le Vot promised a base price of less than €25,000 (approx. £21,000).

	Dacia Duster	Dacia Bigster
Base price	€19,700	<€25,000

Need lots of space? Better Bigster

The new Dacia Duster is already very spacious, with a length of 4.34 metres, a wheelbase of 2.65 metres, five seats and a boot with a load capacity that starts at 594 litres under the parcel shelf with the five seats all available. The length of the load floor with the rear seats folded, i.e. from the tailgate to the front seat backrests, is 1.67 metres.

Dacia

Dacia Bigster, the front three-quarter view

Christopher Otto

Dacia Bigster, the boot

For those who never seem to have enough space and want to load luggage in exaggerated quantities, we recommend the Dacia Bisgster which, with a length of 4.57 metres and a wheelbase of 2.70 metres, offers a boot volume of at least 667 litres. We are therefore talking about 73 litres more available on the larger Dacia, but more importantly a load floor a good 2.70 metres long. In short, with almost a metre more than the Duster, there are no more problems with long objects to load.

	Dacia Duster	Dacia Bigster
Luggage compartment capacity	594 l	667 l
Load floor length	1.67 m	2.70 m

Garage or small parking space? Better Duster

The size of the garage or parking space is a problem many people face because a car that is too big risks not fitting in or making manoeuvring almost impossible.

Dacia Duster dimensions

In this respect, the Duster has a 23 cm advantage in length over the Bigster (4.34 metres versus 4.57 metres). In terms of width, however, there is absolute parity with 1.81 metres for both, while in terms of height the Duster is 6 cm lower (1.65 metres versus 1.71 metres).

	Dacia Duster	Dacia Bigster
Length	4.34 m	4.57 m
Width	1.81 m	1.81 m
Height	1.65 m	1.71 m
Wheelbase	2.65 m	2.70 m
Places	5	5

Need more power, also for towing? Bigster is better

Those who always need more power, perhaps to carry heavy loads, have a safety reserve for overtaking or to tow a trailer might prefer the Bigster, which has a few more horsepower than the Duster.

Already the entry version in the range, the Dacia Bigster ECO-G 140 has 40 PS more than the Duster ECO-G 100 thanks to the adoption of the 1.2-litre three-cylinder in place of the 1.0-litre and a 48V mild-hybrid system for the first time combined with a bi-fuel petrol/LPG system.

Christopher Otto

Dacia Bigster, the side view

The full hybrid Bigster Hybrid 155 also offers 15 PS more than the Duster Hybrid 140, but also more torque (+20 Nm from the naturally aspirated 1.6 engine) and greater towing capacity. In fact, the Bigster comes in at almost 1,000 kg against the 725 kg of the full hybrid Duster.

	Dacia Duster	Dacia Bigster
Bifuel petrol/LPG	3-cylinder 1.2 mild hybrid 140 PS	3-cylinder 1.0 100 PS
Petrol	3-cylinder 1.2 mild hybrid 130 PS	3-cylinder 1.2 mild hybrid 140 PS
Full Hybrid	4-cylinder 1.6 full hybrid 141 PS	4-cylinder 1.6 full hybrid 155 PS

Dacia Duster, the side view

Interested in electric tailgate, bi-zone climate control and touchscreen? Bigster is better

There are features that the new Dacia Bigster can have as standard or as an option that the Duster just doesn't. These include Dacia's first panoramic roof, which is 125 cm long and can be opened 35 cm on the Bigster, as well as the electrically operated tailgate or bi-zone automatic climate control.

Dacia

Dacia Bigster, the panoramic roof

Dacia

Dacia Bigster, the electric tailgate

Then there are the Bigster's exclusive features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, the downhill cruise control (HDC) system and the 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system that comes as standard on all versions.

Dacia Bigster, the 10-inch touchscreen

The boot of the Dacia Bigster also has equipment unique to the Dacia range, such as the Easy Fold function that allows the rear backrests to be easily folded out of the boot with two controls located to the right and left of the loadspace. Also new is the modularity of the 40:20:40 rear seats with three parts that can be folded down separately and the central part that can become an armrest with drink holder.