Indian-Bound Renault Bigster SUV Unveiled Internationally: First Drive Review Out [Video]
Renault is planning to launch the next-generation Duster in the Indian market this year. The 5-seater SUV will make a comeback in the market after few years gap. Renault has been dormant in our market for quite some time and they now have a new strategy for India. The all-new Duster is coming to India as part of that. After Duster, Renault will also be launching a bigger SUV based on the Bigster concept that the manufacturer shared some time ago. The Bigster has been launched internationally and here we have a first drive video of the same.
The video has been shared by Autogefühl on their YouTube channel. In this video, the vlogger talks about the exterior design, interior of the new Bigster SUV. He also talks about the engine and transmission options along with the drive experience.
The exterior design of the Bigster looks the same as Renault Duster. The SUV seen here is in fact the Dacia Duster which gets minor cosmetic changes when compared to the Renault version. Just like Duster, we see the Y-shaped elements in the LED DRLs, tail lamps and other panels. Exterior design of the SUV looks the same as Duster. It however slightly taller and longer than the Duster. The width of the Bigster remains the same as Duster. The Bigster seen here is running on 19 inch alloy wheels.
The SUV gets Bigster branding at the rear with hybrid badge under it. The SUV is available with three engine options. It is actually different from the Duster. There is a 1.8 litre 4-cylinder, hybrid petrol engine that generates 155 Ps. The next is a 1.2 litre 3-cylinder petrol engine that comes with a mild hybrid tech. This generates 140 Ps. An LPG version of the SUV is also available on offer. One of the engine options also get the AWD feature.
The Bigster seen here in the video is actually a 5-seater SUV. It is a bigger SUV than the Duster and will be positioned accordingly. However when it comes to India, Renault will make several changes to it. First of all, the SUV is likely to be converted into a 7-seater SUV as we already have a 5-seater SUV in the market.
We are also not sure about the engine options. Renault is unlikely to offer AWD feature for India along with multiple engine options. We might only get the strong hybrid version which will be more efficient than the regular petrol version.
The interior of the SUV looks similar to the Duster with Y-shaped elements, driver oriented 10 inch touchscreen infotainment system, 7 inch digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof. Raised center console for automatic variant with features like wireless phone charging.
When it comes to driving, video mentions that the Bigster offers a better ride quality than the Duster. The power delivery is lot more linear and the hybrid engine doesn’t feel stressed when it is pushed. The cabin feels well insulated and he also felt that the automatic transmission is tuned well in the Bigster than in the Duster.
It is not a quick vehicle but it manages to do 0-100 kmph in under 10 seconds. He does around 160 kmph with the SUV on Autobahn. The SUV also gets Adaptive cruise control. Dacia Bigster is actually the first SUV to get this feature. Overall, the SUV is not extremely premium but, the vlogger calls it a value for money product. The SUV is expected to get launched in the Indian market after the launch of Duster.