Are you looking for a cheap family car with seven-seats, low fuel costs and rugged good looks? Meet the Dacia Jogger, which is available to order now from just £14,995.
The new Dacia Jogger is available to buy now from £14,995 with deliveries expected to start in the first half of 2022. The Jogger is an estate version of the Sandero Stepway and is one of the most expensive cars in Dacia's line-up, sitting above the Duster SUV.
The Dacia Jogger is available in a choice of three trim levels - Essential, Comfort, and Extreme SE - but equipment levels are good across the range with all cars getting LED headlights, front fog lights and rear parking sensors as standard.
The Jogger Essential starts at £14,995 and gets seven seats as standard, along with air conditioning, electric front windows, and a smartphone dock that lets you plug your phone into the dashboard and use its screen as the infotainment system display. LED daytime running lights are also included, along with cruise control.
You'll pay £16,595 for the mid-spec Comfort model, which adds front parking sensors, a reversing camera, electric door mirrors, automatic windscreen wipers and electric rear windows. You also get a blind spot warning system, electric parking brake and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Priced from £17,395, the Extreme SE trim is the most expensive model in the Jogger range, with touchscreen navigation, heated front seats, keyless entry and front parking sensors. You also get Jogger-branded floor mats and boot protector, plus fold-out airline-style tables for the rear rears.
Dacia has never been a carmaker for costly extras, and little changes with the Jogger. However, that said, you do get the option of a spare wheel and metallic paint.
The Dacia Jogger is the estate version of the Sandero Stepway. Visually, at the front, the two vehicles are almost identical, with wheelarch plastic cladding, elevated ride height and body-coloured bumpers and SUV-style skidplates.
As with all Dacias, the Jogger's LED headlights are incorporated into the front grille design, while the front fog lights are built into rugged plastic panels. The lower part of the front bumper features an eye-catching honeycomb design that houses all of the car's semi-autonomous safety tech, while the car floor edges feature a protective grey plastic finish.
The Jogger is 458mm longer than the Sandero Stepway and 77mm higher - the Jogger also has 27mm additional ground clearance, which means it looks more SUV-like than its small hatch relative. The Jogger's off-roader vibe is completed by its upright profile, deep profile tyres and chunky 16-inch wheels.
Roof bars are standard on most versions of the Jogger but don’t expect lots of fancy personalisation options. Dacia’s ‘no nonsense' approach to car building means it focuses on value and practicality, which means you will get the option of a spare wheel and very little else when it comes to extras.
That said, there is a choice of seven body colours, which includes a number of metallic paint options.
Seven-seat estate cars are a rarity in the UK but Dacia is promising to set new benchmarks for space and comfort with the Jogger, which means it will be a family car that majors on value and versatility.
The interior layout is similar to that of the Ford S-MAX, with seven seats split across three rows. Dacia says the Jogger will comfortably accommodate seven adults, with the second-row offering similar head and legroom to the seats in the front.
A tipping mechanism provides access to the third-row seats and the wide doors should make it easy for passengers to get in and out. Dacia says the third row of seats will provide an impressive 855mm of headroom and 127mm of knee-room, which should allow two adults to travel in comfort.
With all of the seats in place, the Jogger’s boot will easily accommodate several large shopping bags. It should also double up as a minibus for the school run with its seven seats and 213-litre boot providing space for your children, their friends and several backpacks in the boot.
Fold the third row of seats away and the Jogger becomes one of the best family estate cars for boot space. As a five seater, the Dacia Jogger provides 712 litres of storage - a figure that is higher than both the Skoda Octavia Estate and Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer.
If you need van-like practicality then the Dacia Jogger will have you covered - folding the second row of seats will provide 1819 litres. You also get four lashing rings, three load hooks and elastic straps to keep things in place.
Family journeys should be comfortable and simple in the Jogger. You get ISOFIX child-seat mounts for the second-row seats and fold up tray tables in the range-topping Extreme SE model. The front seats are separated by a 1.3-litre lidded storage box while the rear doors will hold a 1-litre bottle. And, most importantly of all, you also get six cup holders.
The cheapest, Essential, version of the Jogger is fitted with Dacia’s Media Control system that requires you to plug in your smartphone and use its screen for DAB audio, maps and navigation.
If you want a traditional infotainment system then you’ll need to upgrade to the mid-spec Jogger in Comfort trim. This adds an 8-inch touchscreen to the top of the dashboard and provides full compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Extreme SE versions get touchscreen navigation and wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with an upgraded audio system with six speakers and two USB ports.
The 2022 Dacia Jogger doesn’t get a huge amount of choice when it comes to engines and gearboxes. At launch, the Jogger is offered with a turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine and six-speed manual gearbox - there is no automatic transmission option of any kind.
The 1.0 TCe 110 engine delivers 110PS to the front-wheels and covers the 0-62mph sprint at a leisurely 11.2 seconds but fuel economy should be good with Dacia claiming 47.1 – 49.6mpg.
The Dacia Sandero Stepway only has a two star Euro NCAP crash rating but we expect the Jogger to achieve a much better score due to its new shape and generous levels of standard equipment.
All Jogger models feature six airbags, including curtain and side airbags. You also get Dacia’s latest automatic emergency braking system that uses radar to measure the distance to the vehicle in front and warn the driver should a risk of collision be detected. If the driver fails to take action, the system will apply the brakes automatically.
Hill start assist is standard too and this will prevent the car from rolling backwards on a hill by holding the brakes for a period of two seconds after the driver releases their foot from the pedal.
If you choose the Jogger in Comfort trim or better then you will also get a blind spot warning system that will illuminate an LED light in the door mirror to warn you of another vehicle being hidden from view.
Can's wait for the Jogger to go on sale? Check out the latest deals on the Dacia Sandero Stepway, Duster and Logan.
The Dacia Jogger starts from £14,995 in the UK and is available with a choice of three trim levels – Essential, Comfort, and Extreme SE. Prices rise to £16,595 for the Jogger Comfort and £17,395 for the range-topping Jogger Extreme SE.
The Dacia Jogger will go on sale in the UK during the first half of 2022 and be priced from £14,995.
The Dacia Jogger is not a 4x4. At launch, the Jogger will feature front-wheel drive only. But this could change in 2023, with Dacia thought to be developing a four-wheel drive hybrid model.