Good news! The new Dacia Bigster is just £24,995

Dacia's bargain-bucket wonder even nosed its way into popular culture. James May, a respecter of built-for-a-purpose machines (and a Fiat Panda owner), took the Sandero to his heart. Soon, most episodes of Top Gear featured May extolling the virtues of the Romanian runabout with the now-famous phrase "Great news, the Dacia Sandero…" followed by information ranging from the significant – its entry to the UK market – or, ahem, less important morsels like the introduction of electronic brake force distribution. It was excellent PR for a still little-known company. 

While the Sandero was the first Dacia registered in the UK, the Duster was the first to go on sale, its debut at the 2016 Festival of Speed impressed enough of the faithful that 2,000 of you ordered one on the spot with prices starting from under £10,000. The Duster's practical body made it ideal for growing families, and the four-wheel-drive model gave it a legitimately rugged edge helped by a torquey diesel engine, lockable four-wheel drive and all-season tyres. In the mud of our noble nation, the Duster could shame a host of far more expensive machines. 

Dacia's basement-low price positioning was no accident. Renault had admired Volkswagen's success with Skoda, and as the UK clambered out of a five-year recession, the ground was fertile for cheap and cheerful cars. Dacia's slogan, "shockingly affordable," demonstrated admirable self-awareness like the "It's A Skoda. Honest." marketing employed by its Czech counterparts. 

But while Dacia made very cheap cars, those weren't, as it happens, the ones that sold. The most popular model in the UK was the all-singing-and-dancing (including air-con and a stereo) Laureate, accounting for more than a third of sales. 

Dacia didn't need to be apologetic anymore, and a Duster facelift in 2016 brought newfound confidence, chunky good looks and bright new colours like Fiery Red and Cayenne Orange. Basic models went out the window, and in came Prestige trim with kit like sat-nav and a reversing camera. Dacia even went after the style-conscious. SE Summit models boasted – are you sitting down – diamond-cut alloys, a body kit and interiors with flashes of colour. Deary me… 

But Dacia hasn't forgotten its mission to surprise and delight like a Parkside power drill in a Lidl middle aisle. When it comes to value, the outwardly soft and cuddly company is ruthless. Its seven-seater Jogger was a masterstroke of packaging, though its one-star NCAP safety rating was dismal. But Dacia has steadfastly refused to fit expensive electronic safety gear its customers didn't want (or want to pay for). 

Conviction to value means the new Duster launched last year, with a big-boy Qashqai platform offering unheard-of levels of refinement, hybrid power and, of course, a variety of strikingly paint jobs with bronze flashes.

Dacia has big ambitions, and they don't come bigger than the, erm, Bigster SUV, a car so important that it gets its own "it's a big deal" tagline. And it is a huge deal. £24,995 buys you a big SUV with lots of room for five and a 667-litre boot stashed with all the money you saved not buying a competitor. That last bit might not be entirely accurate.

But you do get a lot for your money. The basic Expression TCe 130 packs keyless entry, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone climate, front and rear sensors with a reversing camera, auto wipers and speed-adjusting cruise control, a cherry-pick of precisely the kit you want.

Even the motor is decent, a 140PS (103kW) 48V mild-hybrid three-cylinder that'll be punchy enough for the everyday and frugal – 0-62mph takes 9.8 seconds, and it can return fuel economy of more than 50mpg. The Hybrid 155 model is fractionally quicker and ups fuel economy to more than 60mpg. With an ability to cover a few miles on electric power, it would be an ideal choice for town.  

But the four-wheel drive TCe 130 – using the same base three-cylinder petrol engine as the rest of the line-up – could be the gem of the range. Starting from £27,195, it could be pretty tasty in the rough stuff and cheap enough that you might be willing to take tyre-to-mud.

Extreme models sit at the top and have kit comparable to a Range Rover from a couple of generations ago. That includes diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels, heated seats and steering wheel, auto dipping headlights and wireless phone charging. 

While an L322 Range Rover's charms are hard to ignore, the Bigster contrasts with hip bronze against Pearl Black, Cedar Green, Shadow Grey, Terracotta, Glacier White or Indigo Blue paint. The Bigster also offers modern connectivity and a new-car warranty. 

Dacia's slowly ramped up the 'cheerful' in its cheap-and-cheerful cars, but it's still not lost sight of its primary goal to offer value. You can pre-order your Bigster today with a refundable £250 deposit.