Finding the right family car today that will accommodate the whole family for a summer vacation and still not put too much strain on the budget is almost a superhuman feat. MPVs such as the VW Sharan, Alhambra, Espace and the like have virtually disappeared from the range of all car companies. So what is left for our family needs! Well, the Dacia Jogger, in the Extreme version and moreover on LPG…
The Dacia brand has recently changed its image and taken its models up a level. And unfortunately it was not only with better workmanship, but also with the price tag. Not so long ago we bought a company Jogger in 7-seater configuration with LPG in this trim for 18 thousand euros and subsequently we approx. Half a year after that we tested the 5-seater version, which was 19 thousand euros. So let’s find out if it’s worth thinking about the latest addition in the form of the Jogger, moreover in almost the highest possible specification with a price tag attacking 20 thousand euros.
In design and build, the Jogger is a really interesting crossbreed. The front end matches the Sandero/Logan siblings. Only the front bumper is different, and the Jogger has been given more unpainted parts to add a dash of SUV character – all the way down to the B-pillar. The rest is a body section of sorts, separated from the “visually shared” one by a distinctive roof step. The section behind the front seats is thus not only long, but also quite a bit taller. The Jogger’s height is 1674 mm.
What stands out from the profile is the extra-long wheelbase, reaching up to 2897 mm. The rear axle is very far back indeed and hence the very short rear overhang. This solution brings several advantages – for example, it has allowed the designers to equip the Jogger with a large rear door that makes access to the second-row seats considerably easier.
And I probably don’t need to point out that they also help with getting into the third row seats, as long as the car is equipped with them – ours was just a classic five-seater. Another plus is the fact that the width of the second-row bench isn’t restricted by the running boards, which are all the way behind it. The bench thus offers full seating for three passengers.
Dacia offers the Jogger in three trim levels – Essential, Expression and Extreme. The Jogger we tested was adorned in a beautiful, dark green Dusty metallic paint, which is a €600 option. In the top trim, you also get sixteen-inch Mahalia alloy wheels in black paint.
Features include automatic climate control, power windows front and rear, front back tables, rear parking sensors and reversing camera, rain sensor, etc. The unconventionally placed USB input at the top of the dashboard, which is used to charge the phone in its original holder, is a delight. However, you also have to pay extra for that.
Ergonomics is typically low-cost. Air conditioning is classically controlled, radio volume on a special lever under the steering wheel, cruise control on the steering wheel. The infotainment screen is also typically Dacian, touchscreen, and has nice graphics. On the plus side, the wireless connection to Apple CarPlay no longer drops out after the update.
You’ll find your position behind the wheel surprisingly quickly, nothing takes long to set up and you’ll be right at home. There are no changes up front, and the only thing that’s been added is a button to change the traction control setting at the USB connection.
In the back, our running boards also encroach on the boot, but it’s still huge. In the five-seat variant, the basic volume is 708 litres, the load area is over a metre long and the width between the wheel arches is over a metre wide. Cargo space also pleases with a respectable height.
Practical details in the suitcase include a hever holder, bag hooks and elastic handles on the sides. Our only complaint is perhaps the roller blind, which has no hole for gripping. Pulling it up with one hand when you’re holding something in the other is quite a problem.
The Dacia Jogger will eventually be offered as a hybrid with an automatic transmission, but for now you can only choose between the petrol three-cylinder. The stronger one carries the TCe 110 designation and has an output of 81kW (110k), while the weaker TCe 100 tested is then fitted with LPG capability as standard. The claimed output of 74kW (100k) and 170Nm of torque applies to gas operation. For petrol operation, the output is ‘only’ 66kW (90k) and 160Nm of torque.
The maximum power output of the engine when running on petrol is therefore lower with respect to emissions. This is mainly due to the fact that gas combustion still exhibits more favorable engine pollutant production. Unlike CNG, LPG is still relatively cheap and currently you will still pay about half of what you would pay for petrol for a litre of LPG. So at 8 litres of LPG per 100km, the cost of consumption works out as if you were driving on 4 litres of petrol per 100km. By the way, LPG is also cheaper than conventional fuels everywhere abroad.
The LPG tank has a capacity of 40 litres, but the petrol tank has remained the standard fifty litres. The gas-only range works out at 8-8.5 litres for 470km. Consumption when running on petrol is then sympathetically low, easily staying within seven litres. Without refuelling, you can therefore manage more than a thousand kilometres in peace. Only you have to give up the certainty in the form of a spare wheel, because the additional tank has taken its place.
Switching between LPG and petrol is done via a button on the left under the steering wheel. If you switch to LPG, even after the vehicle is stopped and then started, the Jogger will automatically switch to LPG after a while. If you were last running on petrol, you will continue to run in petrol mode after the next start. The car has no preferred mode and it’s set up great this way.
Engine-wise, the Dacia Jogger still performs briskly even with this base engine, both when running on LPG and when running on petrol with slightly less power. The reason for this is the weight of just under 1.3 tonnes and also the short gear ratios of the six-speed gearbox. Nowadays, on the contrary, it is rather common in small hatchbacks with a litre three-cylinder that the gears are longer due to consumption and the cars are then “lazier”.
More frequent shifting does degrade the figures for acceleration from a standstill, but the shorter gears make the engine dial in quicker and the car feels pleasantly lively in normal traffic. Certainly, don’t expect too much gusto on acceleration if the litre unit is to take care of a fully loaded Jogger, but it still has enough power to easily handle motorway pace in 6th gear.
The small, litre unit pleases with its refined and quiet running, the soundproofing isn’t bad either, although logically in this price range you can’t expect a very quiet interior. Overall, however, traveling even on longer routes is pleasant. The Jogger can also be relatively comfortable, but in this respect, think about paying extra for the seven-seater version, which has a stiffer rear axle, and you’ll definitely notice that in an unladen vehicle on bumps.
In summary, the Dacia Jogger will rightly be the ideal vehicle for many nowadays. It costs less than any suitable replacement for the small estate cars that have disappeared from carmakers’ offerings. It can carry up to seven people, has a practical interior and allows operation on still-cheap LPG instead of expensive diesel or petrol. And it looks good too…
