Last year, the Dacia Jogger catapulted itself from a standing start to become the darling of the Austrian public. No wonder, the price-performance ratio is so good that this model somehow represents a family allowance that has become a car. The sales figures will also maintain the high level in 2023, the Renault subsidiary with the competitive price gene has now equipped the jogger with a new pacemaker. With a hybrid drive, the (optional) seven-seater van delivers 141 hp, consumption is very moderate, especially in inner-city operation. In terms of price, the hybrid jogger just ducks below the 25,000 euro bar (see fact box). Is it really still a bargain? If you compare it to similarly sized hybrid cars: yes.
When you start the Jogger Hybrid, you won’t hear any engine noise at first. Starting is purely electric, with a torque of 205 Newton meters there is more than enough lard available. The four-cylinder petrol engine (1.6 liter displacement, 94 hp) only kicks in when it has to. In city operation, the hybrid should jog 80 percent in electric mode, and on average a 100-kilometer consumption of less than five liters is easily achieved.
All in all, three hearts beat in the Dacia Jogger – in addition to the four-cylinder combustion engine, there is a 47 hp electric motor, and there is also an inconspicuous but effective high-voltage starter generator. The automatic multimode transmission channels the power flows very cleverly (there are said to be 15 different driving modes), as an auto-pilot you are very relaxed in “Autodrome mode” (accelerate and brake) on the road. The battery (1.2 kWh), which is snugly crouched under the vehicle floor in the area of the spare wheel and thus does not reduce the considerable volume of the luggage compartment, is charged by recovering braking energy.
The know-how gained by Renault in Formula 1 was used in the energy management. Someone should claim that Max Verstappen and Co. are just driving in circles pointlessly…
Starting at 24,490 euros
In 2022, 7,787 new Dacia brand passenger cars and light commercial vehicles were registered in Austria. Sandero, Duster and Jogger are the brand’s bestsellers. The Jogger Hybrid starts at 24,490 euros and is therefore 5,800 euros more expensive than the entry-level model with the 110 hp petrol engine.
Christoph Zöpfl
