Renault Boreal: the Dacia Bigster with a more refined look

The Bigster is a landmark model for Dacia: it is the Romanian brand’s biggest vehicle to date, its first move into the C-segment, and the car selected to introduce the Renault Group’s new hybrid system.

Even so, it has retained one defining quality: the brand’s core character. The Bigster comes with a genuinely competitive price tag, starting at €24,550. Even the hybrid version, which sits at the top of this SUV range, remains below €30,000.

It was this exact powertrain that we recently tested in Dacia’s largest model. What this SUV has to offer came as a surprise to us. You can watch, or revisit, that road test here:

Dacia Bigster becomes the Renault Boreal

The Bigster clearly has plenty going for it, as shown by the strong start to its European sales career. What is less widely known, however, is that Dacia’s new SUV will also be sold in other parts of the world wearing a Renault badge.

The Renault Boreal is essentially a more stylish interpretation of the Dacia Bigster, featuring a more sophisticated front end, a more contemporary lighting signature and a better-finished cabin. Inside, it gains ambient lighting and a Google-based infotainment system.

It still gets the panoramic roof, 19-inch alloy wheels, plastic cladding around the bodywork and the substantial centre console found in the Bigster. However, its “styling”, both outside and in, feels more contemporary and less adventure-focused.

Just one engine option - for now

Another significant distinction lies in the engine line-up: there are no hybrid systems, for instance. The Renault Boreal is offered solely with a 1.3-litre turbocharged engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox, with output varying according to the market.

In Brazil, for example, it develops either 156 hp or 163 hp when running on the so-called Flex Fuel, which blends petrol and ethanol. In Turkey, the same engine is limited to 138 hp.

Renault itself has nevertheless suggested that the model could be sold in other markets with different powertrains. For now, though, no other Boreal variants are known. Production will take place in Brazil and Turkey.

Renault Boreal launch timetable

The Renault Boreal will launch in Brazil towards the end of the year. Its introduction in the remaining markets - it will be sold in 17 South American countries across 54 markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East - is not scheduled until 2026.