THINK of the Dacia Bigster as the aptly named big brother of the popular Duster and you will get the picture.

Designed to provide more space than its sibling, the Bigster is a family-sized SUV that shares the same platform but is longer and taller.

The Bigster features the same solid chunky design inside and out but its bigger dimensions means there is more space for passengers and luggage.

There is a choice of engines as well as three trim levels and you can also have AWD.

The smaller 1.2 petrol engine delivers 138bhp and is good for a 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds.

This unit is the only one that is offered with four-wheel drive but the power drops to 128bhp and so the 0-62mph time takes 11.2 seconds.

I sampled the Bigster in mid-trim Journey level with the new hybrid powertrain that features a 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit, rather than the 1.6 unit used in the Duster hybrid.

It produces 155bhp and allows you to reach 62mph in 9.7 seconds, although it does feel quicker. The top speed is 112mph.

The power delivery is very smooth as the car switches from EV, hybrid and petrol modes and the six-speed automatic transmission is up to the task.

The Bigster feels safe and predictable out on the open road and the steering is light with decent weight, while the grip is good.

The SUV cruises nicely on motorways at the legal speed and switches between petrol and EV drive even at 70mph.

Economy in this car is really impressive and as a result you can travel almost 600 miles on a full tank.

The claimed average figure is 58mpg and I had no problem matching this in real world driving.

I like the Bigster'schunkyexterior design and it looks particularly smart in the Indigo Paint at an extra cost of £650.

The Journey model has all the equipment you could want and costs £29,440.

The cabin is smart and very roomy and although there is a lot of hard plastics it all feels built to last.

It is easy to select a good comfortable driving position and the car offers all the tech you need including a wireless charger, sat nav and a 10-inch touchscreenthat controls all the connected services.

The switchgear controls work well for all functions and are easy to operate.

A powered tailgate opens to reveal a 612-litre boot and if you drop the rear seats the cargo space becomes vast at 1,977 litres.

There is a long list of safety equipment and driver aids, including emergency braking with pedestrian, motorcycle and cyclist detection, traffic-sign recognition, driver attention warning, speed alerts and much more.