Dacia Jogger

HELLO

£18,745 OTR/£19,640 as tested/£313pcm

WHY IT’S HERE

Can the cheapest MPV cut the TopGear mustard?

DRIVER

Sam Philip

A DACIA JOGGER HAS JOGGED GENTLY ONTO THE TG FLEET, AND I am giddy with excitement Which I realise could read a little sarcastic

after all it’s a budget MPV not a thousand horsepower midengined firestorm with butterfly doors but it’s really not I am genuinely totally pumped for this reddishbrown Romanian people carrier

Because yes of course there’s great joy to be found in a car that’ll hit in the time it takes you to say “plummeting residual values” but there’s also great joy to be found in a car that’s utterly fit for purpose A machine that does exactly what you need of it and no more

And at this stage in my †admittedly quite boringˆ life what I really need from a car is aˆ to ferry my kids and their great array of mucky stuff around the country uncomplainingly and bˆ that’s basically it Doesn’t need to be luxurious Doesn’t need a rorty V‹ under the bonnet I want it big I want it straightforward I want value for cash

Even the basest Jogger comes with everything you need †steering wheel brakes seatsˆ but we’ve got the rangetopping Extreme SE version which adds alloys an infotainment screen and some slightly ambitious black decals Our test car is also fitted with literally every available optional extra comprising“ metallic paint †”•–•ˆ and a spare wheel †”—ˆ That’s your lot All in our Jogger tips the scales at just under ™ grand

On the inside it’s not tough to spot signs of penny pinching but griping that a Jogger’s not as ritzy as a Rolls Phantom †or indeed a Skoda Fabiaˆ is to miss the point This is a people carrier that asks“ if you want loads of seats and a sensible price on what are you prepared to compromise?

Do you as a budget sevenseat MPV buyer need a massage function ventilated clutch pedal? Or autofold wing mirrors? Or a fivestar NCAP? All these questions and more to be answered over the next six months