Louth Motors: Our expert reviews the Dacia Jogger

The Cranberries released an album in 1993 called “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We”. And driving the Dacia Jogger this week got me thinking that Dacia should release an album called “If We Are Doing It, So Why Can’t Everybody Else”.

By that, I mean sell a competitively priced car in today’s highly inflationary times. The car in question is a seven-seater, family car – remember them? There was a time when everybody not wanted but needed one. There are not a lot around nowadays as we all seek height not seats.

That’s why the Jogger is nostalgically refreshing. It’s a seven-seater that can accommodate 7 passengers and, most importantly,7 adult passengers. I put quite a lot of doubters into the third row of the Jogger and said this is your seat for the next hour, will you be OK? Everyone, no dissenters, had no issues. It has headroom and legroom and once in there you’re as comfortable as you need to be.

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The reason for so much space is the kink in the roof at the B-pillar that raises the entire roof to the back of the car creating the airy space. It’s noticeable but not in a bodged way. In fact the Jogger isn’t a bad looking seven-seater, “estate” type car either.

The front is like the Sandero and the back has Volvo V70 lights that are at least undivisive. The back door opens wide to allow all rear passengers get in and it is a super practical car. On the roof are those clever roof bars/rails for carrying stuff. Mine was in Terracotta Bronze (orange) with black alloy wheels and would be the exact specification I’d go for.

Getting into the last row of seats you perform two seat release moves on the middle seats and you’re in. When the seats are being returned to the upright position be careful because they are heavy and would do some severe damage to a small foot if they fell.

Front and middle seat passengers have ample space for the trip as well with good shoulder space. The most I carried was five adults and their luggage to the airport. When the third-row seats are folded forwards there is a 699 litre boot that swallowed their bags easily. No many travel with 20kg bags anymore do they? If you need more, then take the seats out and there is 820litres. If you need more again fold the second row of seats and that allows you carry a maximum of 2085 litres.

It is a modern-day Tardis. All seats up you still have 212litres that would take the midweek shop, in other words it’s useable. That trip to the airport was quite a test of the engine which was another revelation. The 109bhp, 3-cylinder, petrol engine punches well above its weight and was untroubled by the passengers and luggage on board. There was a noticeable drop off in starting performance but once on the motorway it could hold its own and accelerate and overtake without a fortnight’s planning.

It is good for 10.8s to get to 100km/h so it’s no slouch and feels quite zippy when driving it on your own. The arrival of power from the turbo can be a bit sudden and throw you back but isn’t that what petrolheads pays thousands for and I got it in a 999cc Jogger!

Having driven the Sandero I was expecting good things of the Jogger’s interior and I wasn’t disappointed. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t proven European carmaker quality, but it isn’t bargain basement either. I’d have liked a bit more foam in the seats, but I wasn’t in anyway troubled after the trips I took in it. The materials are satisfactory and the dash and controls layout are pleasingly simple with separate, easy to use climate controls.

There’d be no complaint from passengers in terms of ride comfort. It seems to me that Dacia’s cars have taken over the comfort remit from Renault whose mechanicals they use. It really is a comfortable car. It has a long wheelbase and on a trip to the midlands, over their famous rolling bog roads, I did notice that it didn’t cope with them as well as other cars I’ve driven over them. I think the wheelbase length and road dip length were perfect for providing the wrong resonance.

But the car’s road manners won’t trouble the family that the Jogger is aimed at. You buy a Jogger for 7 seats, amazing carrying potential, cheap to insure and cheap to run. I managed 6.5l/100kms during my time with this 4.5m long, 7-seater.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle when the Jogger’s 1 Star NCAP rating was announced. It was based on the Sandero and factored in some Jogger additions. Thing is, the NCAP rating of today compared to the NCAP rating of yesteryear, for the same rating has risen as cars improve all the time. High scoring nowadays can only be reached when expensive safety systems are fitted and the NCAP is moving further away from its structural crash protection remit.

But here’s the thing. Considering all the above, the Jogger starts at €24,590 for the entry Essential model rising to €27,990 for the range topping Extreme SE model complete with heated front seats, keyless entry, parking sensors & reversing camera, automatic emergency braking and all-round electric windows. The cheapest Ford Focus starts at €26,424 and that’s missing two seats.

As an all-round family car for daily and pleasurable pursuits the Jogger is an amazing proposition at an amazing price and a challenge to all manufactures to do their own version of the Cranberries and ask themselves “Dacia Is Doing It, So Why Can't We”.