One of the cars that made us the happiest in 2022 was the Dacia Jogger: a utilitarian, robust, honest Sandero derivative that surpasses many larger SUV or MPV in terms of interior space. The Jogger has both the shape and practicality of a brick; we could hardly believe that we, fully grown Dutchmen who get stuck in many a back seat in the compact class, could even stay here in the third row of seats.
And that for less money than you have to pay for the scantiest Polo. Unprecedented in these times. Dacia has enjoyed the enthusiasm for the Jogger and immediately steams ahead with a new variant: a hybrid, the first they ever produced. As always, they were allowed to grab the technology in the stock cupboards at parent company Renault.
The Renault engine in the Jogger
This has resulted in a cleverly designed powertrain: a 1.6-liter petrol engine without turbo, an electric motor right behind it, plus a starter/generator. The combination is linked to a special dog boxautomatic and delivers a healthy 141 hp.
At the place where you find the spare wheel or the LPG tank in the normal Jogger, there is now a 200-volt battery of 1.2 kWh. So there is no loss of interior space, and yet this Hybrid has enough juice to often get out of place quietly and even, according to Dacia, to drive up to 80 percent electrically in cities. That seems strong to us with such a mini battery, but it will matter anyway.
Driving the Dacia Jogger Hybrid is simple
While driving, the Jogger Hybrid keeps it relatively simple. There’s nothing to set or take into your own hands – there are no flippers, no manual mode. You can, however, put the lever in a B position for extra regeneration.
When driving downhill steeply and wanting to make good use of this, we get a little startled: the Jogger disengages the driveline as soon as we press the brake, causing it to roll for a moment when we come to a sharp corner. A matter of the last dots on the i, we suspect. All right, except for that moment, a kid can do the laundry.
Just like its non-hybrid brother, this Jogger is also completely easy and comfortable to drive, with light controls and an indulgent chassis. If you have briefly accelerated like crazy, it ensures that the battery charge is quickly restored. On the counter screen you can see it all happen in simple animations.
After an up-and-down ride through the mountains, according to the on-board computer, it appears to be no problem to achieve the specified factory consumption. And it is a smoothly operating whole: we would hardly notice the switch between electricity and petrol if the engine was not so clearly audible. Yes, some savings have clearly been made on insulation, but is it allowed for this money?
The Dacia Jogger Hybrid is a bit more expensive
Well, this money – there you say something. The Jogger Hybrid is a few thousand euros more expensive than the LPG and petrol versions. And while that makes sense given the technology, it doesn’t count lightly when low price is one of your pillars.
This seven-seater Extreme is the top model and is in the price list in the Netherlands for more than 30 mille – ai. For comparison: you have a five-seater on LPG from 22,700 euros, and the sweet spot as far as we are concerned – Expression, seven-seater, LPG – costs 25,700 euros. In Belgium (from 17,890 euros) the differences are even greater. The Hybrid is also about 200 kilos heavier and can pull 450 kilos less.
The question is therefore not so much whether he succeeded (he is), but whether the Jogger has not been further developed than is good for him. Beware the Skoda trap, Dacia.
Specifications of the Dacia Jogger Hybrid 140 Extreme 7-seater (2023)
engine
1,598 cc
four-cylinder hybrid
141 hp @ 5,600 rpm
couple n
Drive
front wheels
2v + 4v automatic
Performance
0-100 km/h in 10.0 sec
top 167 km/h
Consumption (average)
4.9 l/100 km A label
110 g/km CO2
Dimensions
4,547×1,784x
1,691 mm (lxwxh)
2,897mm (wheelbase)
1,460 kilograms
50 l (petrol)
160 / 1,807 l (luggage)
Prices
€ 30,650 (NL)
€27,090 (B)
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