Dacia Jogger review

While the Jogger is never going to win any design awards, its slightly awkward shape – ensured by the attachment of a big back end to what’s fundamentally the front of a Sandero – does at least open up lots of space. And, dare we say it, the honesty of the design makes it hard to dislike the Jogger’s look. We’ll leave it up to you to have the final say.

The turbocharged 1.0-litre engine is a lot punchier than you’d expect, the six-speed manual gearbox is tight and easy to use, and the steering is fingertip-light. In fact, all control weighting is light, and the ride is squidgy. Add in brilliantly comfy seats, and you could munch miles in a Jogger, no problem. We drove in urban traffic, along the motorway and then out in the country, with suitcases and a bicycle in the back, and nowhere did the Dacia break a sweat.

In the summer of 2023, Dacia launched the hybrid version called the Dacia Jogger 140, which is powered by a 135hp, 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit mated to two electric motors that offer fully electric power up to 43mph. You also get up to 56.5mpg, making it very efficient.

This is obviously no Mercedes S-Class. Far from it. But the Jogger is well equipped, with everything but the very base model coming with an infotainment touchscreen, climate control, and a digital screen between two analogue dials in the instrument cluster. You can plug your phone into a USB port, and there’s sat-nav on the screen – it does all it needs to.

Everything is manually operated – seats included – but it feels tough and well put together. Sure, there are exposed bits of metal where higher-spec cars would have trim covers, but the Jogger is lighter for it. And it’s honest. For just over £15k, it’s brill.

Practicality is the Jogger’s strongest point. It’s a proper seven-seater, with a back pair of chairs that are just about big enough for adults but are clearly intended for kids. Take them out (they can be fully removed with the press of a couple of releases) and you have yourself a five-seater with an SUV-sized boot. Fold down the middle bench and you have a van-like load space. Oh, and those roof racks are standard-fitment, plus the Jogger can tow a braked trailer of 1,200kg.

It’s impossible to test the reliability of such a new model yet, but we do know the Jogger's 1.0-litre three-cylinder from other cars, such as the Dacia Sandero. From this, we can tell that it’s reliable, and during our week in the Jogger, it never so much as missed a beat. Best of all, we averaged well over 40mpg during our days of mixed driving. Cruise on the motorway and you’ll be nudging 50mpg, according to the digital readout. Happy days.

It’s a bargain. For £15k starting, and even in higher versions at £17-18k, it’s a lot of car for the money – literally and figuratively. It overdelivers in so many ways.