TopGear just got out of the new Dacia Jogger. You can read our full test report in our upcoming issue (24 February in stores); now the highlights.
Test object: Dacia Jogger
Performance: TCe 110 Extreme
Location: Nice area
Weather conditions: dry, sunny, 14 degrees
What do we have here, a Sandero station wagon?
Not quite. The Dacia Jogger, more or less the successor to the Lodgy and the Logan MCV, indeed has the same base (and nose) as the Sandero Stepway. But it has a (considerably) longer wheelbase and a visibly raised roof. The result isn’t the most elegant design ever, but that doesn’t matter. This car is all about two things: practicality and affordability.
How practical and affordable is it then?
Well: seven people fit in it. Seven real people, with height, heads and legs. A medium-sized adult guy sits on the third row of this car better than the second on many other compact cars. And that for prices that start just above 20,000 euros in the Netherlands (19 mille if you don’t want the third row of seats). At a time when you have to spend 25k for a Polo with some options.
What else do you get for your money?
A proven turbo engine from Renault, on petrol or petrol/LPG (a hybrid will follow in 2023). Infotainment that optionally consists of a holder for your own phone, a screen with Apple/Android or a screen with everything built in. Automatic LED lighting with a cool daytime driving pattern. And on the top version (maximum 23 mille) just automatic air conditioning, keyless go and a reversing camera. Really not wrong.
How does the Dacia Jogger drive?
old school, so to speak. Simple suspension and balloon tires ensure that it leans in corners like a Renault 4, although thresholds and ledges come through hard. The numb steering requires just a little more action than you are used to from modern cars. Clutch and brakes go so light your grandma could blow on them to operate them. The seats are soft and flat, the six-speed manual shifts… fluffy? something like that.
Are you not excited?
On the contrary. We absolutely love the Dacia Jogger. Finally a car that dares to do something different than just chasing competitors. Finally a car that does not carve its own place in the market based on a forced roofline, but of rock-solid qualities. Finally another smart, practical, really valuable addition to a sea of the same ideas.
When can I buy the Dacia Jogger?
It will arrive in March, but it can already be ordered. Go for it.
Read our full driving test of the Dacia Jogger in TopGear Magazine 202, in stores from 24th February!
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