Dacia Bigster: the market’s latest chonky boy starts at £24,995

Dacias are built to be cheap and accessible, and its chonky new Bigster is no different. Prices for the entry-level ‘Expression’ are now confirmed to be starting at a very reasonable £24,995, with the ‘Journey’ and ‘Extreme’ models costing a smidge over £26,000.

So, what are you getting in return? Aside from the robust looks and cavernous interior, the Bigster is fairly well-equipped from the off. Standard features in the Expression include a 10.1in infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control, a four-speaker audio system and smartphone connectivity.

The safety suite isn’t completely basic either and comprises front/rear parking sensors, emergency braking, traffic sign recognition and even a driver attention warning beep. On top of the three metres of metal on each side of the occupants, obviously.

The £26,245 Journey - which, as the name suggests, is more about long-hauling - builds on this with dandier upholstery covers, front seat lumbar support and a powered tailgate. S-Class, beware.

Or you can have the Extreme for an extra £450. This one gets a panoramic roof with modular roof bars and rubberised floor mats. In essence, it’s the wilderness explorer lifestyle version. And, yes, you can pass off a two-mile trek to your local caravan park as wilderness explorer lifestyle - we’re guilty of doing so too.

Both the Journey and Extreme also get a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and rear privacy glass. You can opt for a black roof to pair up with a choice of up to six exterior paint finishes too, like ‘Cedar Green’ (green) or ‘Glacier White (umm, white).

On to the powertrain options, where another trio of choices await. The first is the ‘Tce 140’, which means 142bhp from an inline-three turbocharged petrol engine. It gets a six-speed manual, and if your changes are sharp enough, you’ll snap from 0-62mph in 9.8s. Stellar.

The alternative three-pot motor is the 132bhp ‘Tce 130’, which also has a manual ‘box but takes a more laborious 11.2s to hit 62mph. Before you scoff, the 130 does get all-wheel drive to compensate. Working alongside the various driving modes (i.e. snow, mud, sand), it should put on a good show when you reach… the caravan park.

And finally, customers can choose the ‘Hybrid 155’, which, you guessed it, is a hybrid producing around 155bhp. It’s the sole option with an automatic transmission and will be appealing since it returns a claimed 60mpg.

Interested?