Should you buy one?

Yes. If you’re shopping for a family SUV on a budget, the Dacia Bigster is a great place to start your search. Granted, it feels noticeably cheaper than rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson – but that’s because it is.

You’re saving at least £5,000 by buying the Bigster, which is probably enough to encourage you to overlook some of its flaws. The fact you can get a top-spec Bigster Extreme for a few hundred pounds less than the entry-level Qashqai should tell you everything you need to know about how aggressively Dacia is positioning this car.

It also has the largest boot in its class and plenty of space in the rear – certainly enough to justify it over the smaller Dacia Duster. Before you rush out and buy one, though, just make sure you’re going to make full use of the extra space available. If you have a smaller family that prefers to pack light, you might get away with the Duster, which will save you even more money over the usual roster of family SUVs.

The only thing that gets in the Bigster’s way is the MG HS, which offers more rear-seat space and a higher-quality interior at the same price. But if you’re looking for something rugged (say, if you’re stepping out of an old Land Rover or a Toyota Hilux), you’ll undoubtedly prefer the Bigster.

What we like

The Bigster’s price and space are its key attractions. You’re getting more space than almost every other family SUV on the market for a shade over £25,000. That’s unbeatable value. Its hybrid system is also very efficient and it has quite a comfortable suspension setup.

What we don’t like

Dacia could have spent a bit more time calibrating the Bigster’s mechanicals. The brakes and steering are a little too vague for my liking. The changeover from electric to hybrid running also requires further refinement and the cabin is quite noisy at speed.