Dacia Jogger – Back to Basics

Dacia Jogger TCe 100 Bi-Fuel Essential 5-seater – €19.150

Well, not a seven-seater to begin with. Dacia splits the range of the Jogger into five-seaters and seven-seaters and does not put the latter on the market as a separate option, but as a version. Fortunately, that does not mean that you cannot get a ‘knaken version’ with seven chairs, because fortunately you can. At €20,150, the seven-seat Jogger Essential is exactly €1,000 more expensive than its five-seat sibling.

There are then no differences outside the third row of seats, although the seven-seater offers a handful of liters less luggage space even after removing the rear bench. That version comes up to a maximum of 1,807 liters, the five-seater to 1,819. By the way, with the bank up, there is a very impressive 708 liters in ‘our’ five-seater.

As with the Dacia Sandero, on which this car is based, the cheapest variant is also the cheapest to use. This is due to the 100 hp Bi-Fuel engine, which, in addition to petrol, also likes LPG (autogas). The great thing is that this doesn’t take up an inch of cargo space, so count out your profit. On the outside of the Jogger, it is noticeable that the car has standard fog lamps in the front, where a Sandero should be without them. In practice, it doesn’t really help you, but it looks so complete. Also nice: LED headlights are now standard even at Dacia. This also applies to roof rails, although the basic Jogger does not include the handy modular ones with built-in roof racks. Also neat: even the simplest Jogger has largely sprayed bumpers and silver-colored ‘skid plates’. Yet a Jogger Essential is easy to recognize, because this is the only version with black door mirror caps, black handles and without a black decoration panel at the bottom of the doors. The specific Essential hubcaps are also unique, although the Comfort also stands on steel wheels.

Airco optional

The real knack rider goes for a white Jogger, because all other colors cost €595 extra. That money is better spent on the air conditioning that is available at an additional cost, which costs exactly the same. Even after that, a Jogger Essential is noticeably balder than a Comfort. This starts with the upholstery, which is unique for this version and of course very simple. Cruise control is also missing, only the front side windows open and close electrically and there is no screen. Instead, just like in the Sandero, you can connect your phone to the car with a special app and place it on the dashboard.

Perhaps worse is that the simplest Jogger does without a height-adjustable driver’s seat, without a center armrest and without a depth-adjustable steering wheel. That is an option package with the Sandero, but not yet with its spacious brother. If you still want to sit comfortably, you should opt for the Jogger Comfort. At €21,050 it is almost 2 grand more expensive and is also equipped as standard with air conditioning, cruise control, electric rear windows, parking sensors, an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android auto, modular roof racks and a better decorated interior and exterior. As far as we’re concerned, that makes the Jogger Essential a real showroom lure, because the Comfort is simply a much better deal.