Dacia Jogger Review

Read Caroline’s Dacia Jogger review for everything you need to know about buying Dacia’s new family car in Ireland.

The Dacia Jogger is Dacia’s new seven seat family car that goes on sale priced from a budget-friendly €24,590. Yes really!

There’s demand in the market for seven seat vehicles and the Jogger offers just that at an affordable price. So how have they done it and is it any good?

It’s fair to say that Dacia is a brand that is growing with confidence. Cars like the Dacia Duster and Sandero are popular with Irish car buyers, and known for offering good value for money.

On a wider scale, the Dacia brand has recently revealed a new logo and brand identity that sees Dacia inch ever closer to the fashionable outdoors market. Seeking a vehicle that says you’re a dynamic outdoors type who likes to climb mountains and paddle board at weekends? Then Dacia might have the car for you and the company is now in a better position than ever to convince you to buy one.

What’s so special about the Dacia Jogger?

The brand’s latest creation is the actively named Dacia Jogger, which is actually based on the humble Sandero. When you look at it, you’ll see a familiar gaze from the front. But to fit in seven seats, the Jogger boasts some serious length and a bit more height compared to the Sandero supermini.

It’s miles cheaper than all the other seven seaters on the market. In fact you would have to go to the used car market to find a seven-seat family car like this for less than €25,000.

There are three trim levels and one petrol engine for now. All versions come with seven seats, with the extra two able to fold flat when not in use.

It’s not bad-looking either. The Jogger is styled somewhere between an estate car and an MPV, but with rugged SUV-inspired looks. Make what you will of that but it has a pretty good attitude when you meet it in the metal. Particularly if you go for the top of the range Extreme SE version (from €27,490) with 16-inch black alloy wheels and black wing mirror caps.

But even entry models look fierce enough with that elevated ride height a must-have for any crossover wannabe, as well as tuff-lookin’ roof rails, plastic cladding around the wheel arches and a skid plate front and rear.

The Jogger is always ready for adventure.

Inside the Jogger

Inside the Jogger’s interior borrows heavily from the Sandero, which is a good thing as it’s a new generation Dacia interior and probably the brand’s best yet. The layout is simple and clean, with a nice modern infotainment system as standard on Expression and Extreme SE models with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as two USB ports.

There are a lot of hard plastics but it’s not bad at all and softened by some fabric trim on the dashboard and doors. Fancy for a Dacia! Standard equipment also includes air conditioning and cruise control. The mid-range Expression model (from €25,990) gets equipment upgrades including reversing camera, keyless entry and automatic climate control.

As well as a visual upgrade, Extreme SE also adds heated front seats and even wireless smartphone mirroring.

When it comes to building a usable seven seat car that still feels compact behind the wheel, Dacia has done a stellar job with the Jogger. It’s the longest Dacia on sale at 4.5 metres and the brand’s first seven seater. Up front it feels spacious, while there’s enough room for two adults to sit comfortably in the rear. It will be tighter for three across the back seat but it’s not impossible and there are Isofix anchors on the two outer seats.

But what about the third row? Are the two extra seats a token gesture or actually capable at all?

Well, the length of the car and tall roof line mean that Dacia has created a remarkably spacious seven seat car. The second row of seats tumble forward easily, so access is simpler than some. Once seated in the third row, it’s surprisingly comfortable, even for adults. Certainly children will be fine.

In five-seat mode, you will get all the benefits of a large, family-friendly boot. But with the seven seats in place, there’s just room for a few bags.

It’s worth noting that the Jogger received just one star in the Euro NCAP safety tests out of a maximum of five stars. To keep the costs down, the Jogger does go without some of the more advanced safety features like lane keeping assist. It was also scored down for missing seatbelt reminders in the third row.

Did you like it?

The Jogger range is very simple at the moment because it only comes with one engine and it’s a 1.0-litre turbo petrol with a modest 110hp and a six-speed manual gearbox. If you want an automatic, you will have to wait until next year when the Jogger hybrid arrives.

This small petrol engine does better than what you might think in the Jogger. That’s because the Jogger is light and weighs only about 1200kg. So the engine will rev happily and feels pretty sprightly under your right foot. The steering and controls are light so it’s simple to drive as opposed to fun to drive. But it’s not a bad family car to drive and is comfortable for the most part too.

It’s not going to cost the Earth to run either. Over a week of driving my average fuel consumption was 5.9 litres per 100 km.

So there you have it. Ireland’s most affordable seven-seat car. The Jogger is not sexy but it is a hugely practical and versatile car. Dacia has stayed true to their roots and brought a good seven seater to market at less than €25,000. Of course you can spend more on your Jogger and get a few nice features. But the fundamentals of this car are fine and at that price you will have grabbed yourself a huge bargain.

Dacia is a brand on the up and while there are some compromises because it’s a budget car, they’re really are not many at all. The Jogger should follow in the footsteps of Duster and become a household name.

Model tested: Dacia Jogger Extreme SE
Price: €27,490
Engine: 1.0-litre turbo petrol
Power: 110hp
Torque: 200Nm
Top speed:  183km/h
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 11.2 seconds
CO2 emissions: 131g/km
Motor Tax: €210 per year

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes