Driving the first hybrid Dacia
Dacia has known for years to sell the motto much for little like no other. But the brand has to participate in the CO2 race and is therefore introducing a hybrid for the first time, in the Dacia Jogger. That is nice and economical, but expensive.
The Dacia Jogger was already there, wasn’t it?
Yes that’s right, Dacia introduced it a year ago, and with success. Partly helped by relatively short delivery times, the brand has sold quite a few of them. But there is now a new engine variant. A hybrid powertrain with a 1.6 petrol engine and two electric motors, together good for 140 hp.
Including a new logo
That sounds very familiar…
That’s right. This powertrain has been available for a number of years in the Renault Clio and the Captur, and it has recently also been available in the Nissan Juke and Mitsubishi ASX. With or without a plug, the whole has just a little more power. The Jogger does not get that plug, a PHEV does not fit the simplicity that Dacia wants, they tell AutoWeek.
But how does it drive?
The 140 hp is a punch more power than in the other Joggers and that has results. The car drives extremely smoothly, partly because you always drive away electrically. The petrol engine jumps to a higher speed to send any extra power directly to the wheels. But usually that motor only runs to generate power for the large electric motor, and then it runs at a constant and therefore efficient speed. All forces are distributed smoothly via a two-speed and a four-speed automatic transmission, you have no influence on this yourself. This is also better than with the Clio in 2019, something we previously noticed in the Nissan Juke Hybrid. The system has clearly improved since the start, something that latecomer Dacia benefits from.
A digital display and no analog counters
In the Dacia Jogger, this technique is of course quite cheap
Well: yes and no. The Jogger is an unbeatable deal when you consider the amount of space for your money. He actually has no real competitors, especially if you want seven seats. But the hybrid is not available in the Netherlands as a five-seater, so you should always go for the €1,000 more expensive seven-seater. It is also about €3,600 more expensive than a comparable 1.0 TCe with 110 hp. The starting price is therefore just above €29,000 and that is far from the wonderful amounts that were once in the Dacia price list. Mind you, you won’t find another car with this much space for this money, but the super cheap we once knew from the Logan is a bit off. That is not surprising, because all new cars are and are simply very expensive. And Dacia also has to go up in these times of inflation and expensive raw materials. Hybrid technology is also expensive.
Recommended or not?
The new drivetrain is the best and finest you can get in the Jogger. But the 110 hp was basically enough and this is just a brand that does it best without extras. With a Volkswagen, a few thousand euros more or less is not very strange, but the percentage price difference of the hybrid is, however logical, still significant. Anyway, the option of the 1.0 just remains of course. And if you want an automatic, there is now at least something to choose from.
Anything else we should know about the Dacia Jogger Hybrid?
He continues to ride the same as the other Jogger. A relatively sturdy chassis that prevents tilting with a no-nonsense driving behavior. Don’t count on any dynamics, but the balance is good and there is more refinement than in the MCW or Lodgy. It is also much more basic than in a Skoda or Hyundai, you will not find much modern technology. Partly because of this, the NCAP score was very low. Something that also says something about how new cars are rated, but still good to know. The car can already be ordered and will be at the dealers in April.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl