Dacia Jogger SUV 1.0 TCe Essential 5dr Owner Review

With only 200 miles on the clock and trying to run her in gently, I haven't been able to fully appreciate the Jogger yet, but I thought I'd post a few observations - and happily answer any questions members might have about the car.

First impressions of the Dacia Jogger are very good indeed. It’s well styled, somewhere between an estate, an MPV and an SUV, and it’s main strength is the space and seven seats - all of which can fit a full sized adult. Nothing new or used from the last 5 years even comes close for the £15k I paid.

It drives very well - much more modern and refined than Dacias past, and the interior is laid out smartly and ergonomically. Compared to the 22 plate Peugeot 2008 we had as a courtesy car the week before, the ride is more comfortable, it's quieter and SO much more space for a family to use (and £10k cheaper...). Ok, there’s few bells and whistles, but it has everything you really need and nothing you don’t. The build quality is especially good; there are no squeaks and rattles here!

The 1.0 engine looks small on paper, but delivers 110bhp and 200nm of torque, so it picks its heels up nicely and cruises quietly at 70mph, in sixth. It’s quite punchy and throaty under acceleration, but settles down nicely. Indeed, when you start it, it does a good impression of a flat-six old Porsche!

Economy is reasonable given the short running time and short journeys at 40mpg. The steering is light at low speeds and a bit weightier as the speed builds. On this point, the engine has quite an audible turbo whistle as the revs rise, and a bit of a burst of enthusiasm at 2,500 rpm.

The gearbox is relatively slick, easy to shift and feels robust, but generally quite short-geared - so 1st is almost instantly needing 2nd, 4th would be 3rd in most cars, but 6th is a little longer.

Visibility is EXCELLENT on all sides and especially over the shoulder, although the rear screen is relatively small and high up on the tailgate, so the rear sensors are useful.

Practicality is the car's forte - there's space, storage and seats everywhere! It's a big, long car without being overbearing (although it's actually quite narrow somehow, without stealing passenger space) - and it's easy to get in and out of in car park spaces.

Negatives? A couple of minor gremlins on delivery; the boot doesn't want to fully close without a decent shove and one of the floor mat clips had sheared off in the driver's footwell - but both easy fixes and being sorted. The turning circle is distinctly average, requiring a bit of wheel-twirling on mini-roundabouts and in multi-storeys, and the clutch pedal has quite a springy action, which takes a few changes to get used to. There is some movement in the drivetrain, which causes some judder pulling away in first, and you can feel this through the gearstick, but I have had this on other new cars and it should bed-in with a few more miles, hopefully.

The handling and spritely nature will pleasantly surprise most people - it feels much more premium than I expected too, very like a Captur or Clio. This is one well-sorted chassis.

One thing I would say, is that the Jogger is very sensitive to colour, so choose wisely! The lighter colours elongate the car to look like a Volvo estate/XC60 but the darker colours make it look a bit truncated, like the Skoda Roomster or Yeti.

New at £15k, Dacia have pulled a blinder. It’s good looking, good to drive, spacious and economical. What’s not to love in an era of ever increasing costs?