Front runner
£16,595
FOR Cheap, cheerful and charming seven-seater
AGAINST How cheap are style led buyers prepared to go?
Amoment please to lament the passing of a no nonsense brand Dacia’s gone all lifestyle rebranding around an angular logo and khaki green palette Subdued to fit current times but with an outdoorsy feel Fine because who doesn’t go outdoors every now and then? Wouldn’t need a car otherwise
And so Dacia’s new Jogger neither MPV nor SUV nor estate is not merely the cheapest way to drive around with seven seats in your new car it’s a companion for your active lifestyle Let the marketing department have its fun because the Jogger actually delivers It remains no nonsense there are three trims
including a special edition and the only options are a spare wheel or metallic paint
As with the rest of its range Dacia expects to lure you in with the entry price of the Essential spec car while you upsell yourself to the Comfort and Extreme SE trims But for the top car is still impressive the Jogger’s rivals are basically all secondhand
The Jogger’s been well thought through too The removable third row seats weigh a mere kg each and come with a bag so they won’t get dusty wherever they’re stashed Every seat has been designed to accommodate an adult in reasonable comfort and Comfort/ Extreme SE cars get smart modular roof bars that flip into a roof rack set up
Dacia’s keen to frame the car as utilitarian rather than cheap but then you should be fine with hard plastics for k It’s also frugal thanks to the car’s impressive kg kerbweight This is where it’s clever a lower weight means a smaller engine does the same job and gives breathing space for a generous spec sheet at least by the usual standards There will always be features you could add but slimming down means tough decisions
The low weight is also what unlocks the car’s performance The Jogger handles sharply because there isn’t flab hanging over the front wheels rides smoothly because there’s less sprung weight and the litre cyl engine is perky and willing the car eager off the line No one told the secs mph time but
mpg isn’t to be sniffed at in a powertrain utterly without electric mod cons A minicab tastic hybrid arrives next year
Perhaps we’ve been in too many EVs but the Jogger has a pleasing mechanical tactility
it’s surprisingly fun for a family bus You find yourself thinking of the one or three little things that could make it better but at this price and with its ruthless attention to detail the Jogger is pretty good as it is