Dacia is to give its SUV range more go-anywhere ability with the introduction of a new four-wheel drive Hybrid 150 powertrain for its Dacia Duster and Dacia Bigster models.
Complementing the Romanian manufacturer’s rugged image in the wake of its victory in the gruelling Dakar Rally, it sees fuel-efficient hybrid power come with all-wheel drive for the first time.
Up until now the Duster and Bigster came with a single 4x4 option but only with a 1.2-litre turbocharged 130hp petrol engine.
The new 1.2-litre Hybrid 150 shares a similar basic architecture with the ‘130’ but in addition to the front-mounted powertrain is a rear-mounted electric motor production another 30bhp and 87Nm of torque.
This drives the rear wheels via a two-speed gearbox, turning it into all-wheel drive for a total output of 148hp and 230Nm of torque.
While all-wheel drive isn’t unusual among electric vehicles that have motors mounted to the front and rear axles, they are not typically primed to tackle particularly rough surfaces.
By contrast, the Duster Hybrid 150 4x4 and Bigster Hybrid 150 4x4 have been tuned to deliver high levels of torque at low speeds in first gear, making them suitable for venturing off road, ascending steep inclines and tackling muddy surfaces.
The growth of Dacia’s dedicated all-wheel drive line-up bolsters a market for reasonably priced models with genuine off-road ability.
The move goes some way to toasting the firm’s Dakar Rally win – an extreme 8000km rally-raid held in Saudi Arabia - at the start of the year.
An event that has seen big budget full-factory efforts from Audi, Toyota, MINI and Volkswagen triumph in recent years, it was the Dacia Sandrider campaigned by Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin that reigned supreme during the 2026 edition of the event.
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- New Cars