New Renault Bigster – What to Expect? » MotorOctane

Renault’s sales figures in India have been rather dismal. They have yet to sell 5,000 units in a month in 2025. Upon the Triber’s launch, Renault enjoyed a short-lived success, especially with the Ertiga capturing a large share of the MPV market.

Renault is now trying to change its fortunes, with a big 2026 lined up. Recently, they revealed the launch date for the second iteration of the Duster. The French manufacturer must have realised that SUVs are the way to go and has plans to launch two more SUV models: The Bigster and the Kardian.

Renault didn’t seem to put much effort into the Bigster name, since, as the name suggests, it is just a bigger Duster. The Bigster is on sale in the UK under the Dacia brand, and we could see it in Indian markets very soon. Here is all you need to know about this upcoming Renault SUV.

Read More: New Renault Duster – What to Expect?

Exterior

The Bigster looks perfectly identical to the outgoing Dacia Duster. The longer dimensions are the only thing that sets the Bigster apart from the Duster. It uses the same Y-shaped taillights, similar headlights and black plastic cladding running throughout the length of the car.

The overall gist of the Duster remains with the Bigster. The Bigster looks like a polished version of the discontinued Duster. A sleeker body, sharper LED headlights, and a fresh alloy wheel design are the big changes that catch the eye.

The Bigster has an uncomplicated look. There are no polarising features that stand out, and it looks built for purpose rather than eye candy.

Cabin

The Bigster cabin has a no-nonsense feel like other Dacia models. Everything is built for a purpose, and no extra efforts have been made to make it look pretty. Dacia is infamous in Europe for its cost-cutting stringencies. This criticism seems justified, given the cabin’s black monochrome theme and the abundance of nasty plastics.

However, do not be discouraged by this criticism. The Bigster more than makes up for its shortcomings with a spacious cabin and an expansive feature list. The feature list includes a 10″ digital driver’s display, a 10.1″ infotainment screen, a panoramic sunroof, Level-2 ADAS, an electric tailgate, a cooled centre armrest, a 360-degree parking camera, and automatic dual-zone climate control.

The significant difference between the UK-spec Bigster and the India-spec Bigster is the addition of 2 rear seats. The UK models are offered with 5 seats, but the Indian customers will be getting the benefits of 7 seats.

Powertrain

The Bigster is expected to come with the same engine and transmission options as the Duster. In global markets, it comes with a mild-hybrid system as standard. The 48V motor is mated to a 1.2L 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 140 horsepower. This figure goes down by 10 horsepower for the 4×4 variants.

As for the gearbox options, you can choose from a 6-speed manual or a multi-mode automatic gearbox. Renault is unlikely to offer this automatic transmission and will look to provide simpler AMT alternatives from the Kiger.

The UK models get one more engine option: a 1.8L 4-cylinder petrol engine. This engine is part of a full-hybrid powertrain. With the impressive tax breaks the government offers hybrid vehicles, we could see the Bigster provided with a hybrid powertrain as standard and a full-hybrid for the top variant.

Rivals

The Bigster is a solid product that could be well received by the Indian public. It has all the elements to make it a formidable competitor to the Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari and the Mahindra XUV700. But an important aspect where the Bigster lags is in NCAP ratings. It scored a very moderate 3 stars in Euro NCAP tests, and Renault will have to work towards improving those ratings for its launch in India.

The hybrid system could be a game-changer for the Bigster. The advantages of this hybrid powertrain include tax benefits and improved fuel efficiency. Renault could promote this hybrid powertrain as a key selling point.

Read More: 4 Creta & XUV700 Rivals Launching Next Month!

Expected Price and Launch

With the hybrid tax break, Renault could set an aggressive introductory price for the Bigster. Speculations predict the Bigster to start at 14 lakh rupees, with hybrid models costing more than 22 lakh rupees (on-road, Mumbai).

Renault will be looking towards an auspicious start to 2026 with the Duster, with the Bigster being revealed shortly after. We could be looking at an early 2026 launch date. Renault will make subtle changes to the UK spec models to make them seem distinctly Renault, and we expect an identical product to be launched in India.

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