Mixture of station wagon and van: Dacia Jogger - a lot of car for the money

The Dacia Jogger cannot compete with classic compact vans and station wagons with its simple design, ambience and handling.

Mixture of station wagon and van: Dacia Jogger - a lot of car for the money

The Dacia Jogger cannot compete with classic compact vans and station wagons with its simple design, ambience and handling. But it also costs only half - and it offers a lot of space. But the test drive shows where Dacia saves.

The Dacia Jogger offers a lot of car for a small car price. The unrivaled good cost-benefit ratio in terms of space requires the occupants but also a little willingness to compromise. Because not only the invoice amount (from 16,100 euros) is reminiscent of a model from the so-called B segment.

Visually, the mix of station wagon and van with slight crossover elements is quite pleasing. At least in the front view and diagonally from the front, the 4.55 meter long Romanian looks chic and harmonious. But because the roof line, contrary to the current trend, is not visibly flatter towards the rear, the bulky rear makes the Jogger bulky from the side perspective and makes the viewer think more of a delivery van than a station wagon.

However, the idea of ​​a commercial vehicle is not all that wrong: forgoing fashionable chic creates space. Either for luggage - up to 1807 liters fit behind the flap - or for two additional passengers on two fold-out individual seats in the third row. Thanks to the high roof, adults also fit in there - provided they are flexible enough to snake past the folding backrests of the rear seats. When not in use, the two armchairs can be folded up and down or, alternatively, removed entirely.

In general, the space is the big plus of the Jogger. Rows one and two are also airy. The seat cushions are thin without becoming uncomfortable, the interior fittings are comparatively economical and therefore take up little space. Large windows and a relatively low shoulder line provide plenty of light inside, which also supports the good sense of space. The ambience is quite okay, at least in the tested second-highest configuration "Extreme". The materials are simple, the plastics are hard and the decorations are used sparingly, but the restrained design and the visible processing make up for it.

Where Dacia saves, it shows on the road. The Jogger, which almost reaches into the middle class, feels more like a small car there. The suspension works a bit wooden, the body crunches on bad ground, the steering lacks precision and the brakes are relatively tame. All far from unacceptable, but just as far from the more expensive competitors in the segment.

The cost-optimized design is particularly evident when it comes to noise insulation: the typical chattering 1.0-liter three-cylinder is always present in the interior, after driving onto the motorway the volume of the car radio has to be adjusted very quickly in order to be able to hear anything at all . In terms of drive work, however, the small turbocharged petrol engine does well. Thanks to the vehicle weight of just under 1.3 tons, a manageable 81 kW/110 hp are enough for sufficiently brisk progress. Anyone who uses the manual six-speed gearbox appropriately also benefits from the quite ample torque between 2000 and 3000 tours. Below and above this range, however, there is a lack of draft.

The consumption isn't entirely convincing either: the Dacia needs around 7.2 liters on average - in view of the manageable performance, it's rather a moderate value. The Romanian is thirsty, especially on the motorway and above 120 km/h, but even those who take it easy can hardly come close to the 5.7 liter standard consumption.

The most important purchase criterion for a Dacia should be the price anyway. The five-seater basic model with the LPG variant of the 1.0-liter petrol engine costs 16,100 euros, and the seven-seater is available from 17,000 euros. If you prefer the pure petrol engine, you pay 400 euros more. However, the equipment in the "Essential" base line is quite meager.

The "Expression" model is already quite functionally equipped, but at at least 17,900 euros it is already quite a bit more expensive. So it's worth paying another 1000 euros and ordering the "Extreme" version, which is a little more valuable, especially with design extras such as alloy wheels and embroidered seats.

Even if you choose full equipment ("Extreme"), the LPG model is still just under the 20,000 euro limit, the most expensive variant with a petrol engine and seven seats costs 21,250 euros. The only additional item is then the metallic paint for 550 euros. Dacia grants a three-year or 100,000-kilometer guarantee on all variants.

In the new car segment, the Jogger is unrivaled with this price-performance package. Therefore, its true competitors can be found in the used car market - in the form of compact vans or station wagons. But if you absolutely want a new car and appreciate the safety of the manufacturer's guarantee, you cannot avoid the Romanian family car. This is especially true for customers who need seven seats - corresponding models are currently rare and expensive.