The Dacia Bigster is the big winner of this year’s Car of the Year/Crystal Volante Trophysucceeding the Citroën C3. The top of the range from Dacia – a brand of Romanian origin from the Renault Group – closed the night with three awards. Not only does it now have the right to use the title of Car of the Year 2026, but it also won the Compact SUV of the Year class, with the Hybrid-G 150 4×4 version, which also guaranteed it to win the Technology and Innovation award.
This version would have been decisive for the jurors’ vote. The Bigster Hybrid-G 150 4×4 is the cheapest off-road vehicle on sale in Portugal and debuts an innovative drive solution. The new engine combines a 1.2l 48V mild-hybrid engine, with 140 hp, on the front axle, with a 31 hp electric motor on the rear axle. In total, the system can reach 150 hp of maximum power, and the combination of the two tanks – gasoline and LPG – guarantees very interesting autonomy. This is the first system on the market to combine a hybrid, dual-fuel solution with all-wheel drive, resulting in low and unusual consumption in a 4×4.
This year’s edition of Seguro Direto Car of the Year/Troféu Volante de Cristal 2021 had 92 entries – it was the most competitive ever – with the different models and versions divided into eight classes. Of those 92 candidates, 28 were in the running for Car of the Year.
The 15 jurors, representing some of the country’s main media outlets, have spent the last few months in dynamic tests with the different models in competition. The evaluation focused on topics such as design, performance, safety, price or environmental sustainability.o
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