When Dacia revealed a new brand identity package in 2022, they were signalling a visual upshift that reflected a doubling of sales in Europe in the previous decade, writes Brian Byrne. Which was a significant achievement for a car brand that had only been launched eight years before that. That same 2022 was ten years after the Renault-owned budget brand had arrived in Ireland. In that decade, Dacia sold over 30,000 units here, led by the small SUV Duster. For the first quarter of this year, Dacia's Sandero hatchback was the best-selling car in Europe.
All that is to give perspective to the Dacia Jogger of this review. Although in the third place in sales of the four models on sale here, the Jogger is doing a healthy 15pc of the brand's performance. Sold only as a 7-seater in the B-segment family space, it has similar dimensions to the Volkswagen Tiguan, but is not an SUV itself, rather is formatted as an estate wagon on the Sandero's platform. Jogger is actually the longest Dacia model at some 4.5 metres.
The original logos and typeface styles of the Dacia brand became very familiar as the face of budget cars. But the new versions are so far ahead of these that I'd suggest they add a couple of thousand euro to the perceived value of each car. Jogger is certainly an example of this, looking sleek and assertive and exceptionally modern from both front and rear without any body shape changes. The transformable roof rails, which can be converted quickly to cross rails, add to the side profile's attractiveness.
Inside, the driver and front passenger space is straight from the Sandero. In the base model, you get a holder for your smartphone to be comms and navigation in the centre dash. In my review top range version there was a centre screen with inbuilt navigation and radio apps as well as Bluetooth linkage to smartphone systems. It’s a lowish definition screen but is adequate. The driver's instrumentation is also an upgrade to current Renault style.
There's a long 2.9-metre wheelbase, giving the Jogger a lot of inside space to play with. The middle seats roll forward for access to the rearmost pair. Behind the two is a rather small cargo area, but they can be tipped forward to extend it. They don’t fold flat into the rear floor, but they can be removed, and stored in bags provided for that purpose, making the Jogger a 5-seater with a seriously big boot. Especially in a B-segment car.
There are three grades, the lowest one coming with the more spartan specification that makes it a relative bargain. Mine was the Extreme top end, and while that brings the specification closer to that in Renault cousins, it also brings the price closer to them. The grade does add some copper detailing that enhances the car's looks.
When Jogger was introduced to Ireland a couple of years ago, I liked it well for all that it provided in a fairly budget place. At the time the only powertrain was a petrol unit, with a manual gearbox that I didn't particularly like the action of the clutch — just a personal thing, maybe not a fit to my lanky physique. One of the reasons for my revisit to the model is the arrival of the hybrid version, and for me that has been transformative, not least because a hybrid is by its nature automatic and eliminated my only significant issue.
It's the Renault-familiar system of a 1.6 petrol engine paired with two electric motors — a 49hp traction motor and a smaller high-voltage Starter Generator, plus a multi-mode clutch-less gearbox. The arrangement allows for full-electric starting and quite brisk acceleration. The system automatically chooses the best combination of petrol or electric power to suit conditions, and switches between them quite seamlessly. Along with what is a good-handling car, the power unit made for a very pleasant drive. The 1.2kWh hybrid battery is under the floor and doesn't impact on load space. The hybrid also has as standard automatic headlights, and cruise control with speed limiter.
Moving to the hybrid powertrain, and with the review car's Extreme specification grade, it's arguable that the Jogger is then competing price-wise with more sophisticated competition. But given the hike that all car prices have taken since the pandemic, there's probably room to justify the extra. Certainly, the €4,000-odd difference between the two powertrains would be worth it to me.
PRICE: Jogger Essential from €25,940; review Hybrid 145 Extreme €32,940. WHAT I LIKED: Nice drive with big capacity in good looking car.
