Dacia Jogger Hybrid version expected in the UK in 2023

Groupe Renault has been testing its new seven-seater Dacia model since 2020, and the company finally unveiled the Dacia Jogger via a live stream held on September 3 and displayed the car at the IAA 2021 in the same month.

Dacia says the Jogger is a versatile family car that can be used for daily commutes and adventures through the outdoors. According to the Romanian budget car brand, the Jogger Hybrid will become the most affordable 7-seater hybrid on the market when it arrives in 2023.

Here’s everything you should know:

Design

New Dacia visual identity

Dacia’s new visual identity will be present across the entire product line-up, including the Jogger. The new Dacia Link emblem is featured prominently in the middle of the front grille, which has been redesigned with a clean white look. The interlocking ‘D’ and ‘C’ in simple lines create a brand-new emblem that is evident of the robust simplicity of the new design. The ‘Dacia Link’ is an easily recognizable brand image, visible from close up and far away. It can also be seen in the middle of every hub cap. The newly-designed MPV will be showcased at the Mondial de Paris in October 2022.

New Dacia Jogger front 2023
According to the company, the Dacia Jogger takes the best features of an estate, MPV and SUV and blends it all into a class of its own. Image: Dacia

According to the company, the Dacia Jogger takes the length of an estate, the space of a MUV and the looks of an SUV and blends it all into a class of its own. In terms of design, the front fascia sports sleek headlamps with the signature Y-shaped LED DRLs. These flank the wide grille that Dacia says is unique to the brand. The sculpted bonnet and silver skid plate finish off the look at the front.

2021 Dacia Jogger side
According to Dacia, the Jogger combines the length of an estate, the looks of an SUV, and an MPV’s spaciousness. Image: Dacia

From the side, the Jogger’s profile showcases the flavours of three body styles. Modular roof rails and black cladding give the Jogger an SUV presence while the length speaks of the estate. The rear is relatively dull, with vertically stacked tail lamps and a scuff plate added to the bumper to complete the SUV-inspired look. Expect the hybrid variant to carry new badges, retaining the design.

Platform

The Dacia Jogger is built on the CMF-B platform shared with Logan and Sandero models. The Jogger measures 4,547 mm in length, 1,784 mm in width and 1,632 mm in height, while the wheelbase measures 2,897 mm. This makes the Jogger the longest vehicle in the company’s lineup.

Interior

The Dacia Jogger comes with the 7-seat configuration as standard across all variants in the UK. In Europe, it can be optioned in either a five-seater or a seven-seater, with the middle row being able to roll forward and split 60:40. The boot volume is at 160 litres with the rear seats in place. These can be removed completely to free up almost 708 litres of total space. However, the middle seats do not slide back and forth and cannot be removed. Additionally, the Jogger rises 40 mm from the B-pillar onwards, allowing for better headroom.

2021 Dacia Jogger interior
The interior of the Dacia Jogger can be optioned in three media levels. Image: Dacia

The Jogger features a large dashboard at the centre of which one of three entertainment systems can be optioned. The first is a Media Control which has two speakers, a smartphone docking station, Bluetooth, USB port, steering wheel controls and a 3.5-inch TFT display.

The second Media Display adds an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A ‘car’ tab on the system allows for ADAS settings. And finally, Media Nav provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and in-car navigation. It also gets a six-speaker audio system and two USB ports.

There are optional extras, and depending on the market, customers can avail of heated front seats, automatic climate control, hands-free key card, automatic wipers, blind-spot warning, rear-view camera, electric parking brake and front/rear parking assistance.

In the second level trim or higher, the dash features a textile strip stretching across the width. This is also on the door armrests, and some trims also get fold-out tray tables and cup holders. In total, the Jogger has about 24 litres of storage space inside the cabin, including the 7-litre closed glove box, front and rear door storage, six cup holders and a 1.3-litre closed centre console.

Dacia Jogger middle row
 40 mm step up in the roof leads to more headroom in the cabin. Image: Dacia

Powertrain

At launch, the Dacia Jogger will be available with two ICE engine options. However, the company does say that a hybrid engine will make it to the market next year. The powertrain will combine the 1.6-litre petrol engine will two electric motors (an e-motor and a high voltage alternator) and a multi-mode automatic gearbox. Batteries will come in the form of a 1.2 kWh (230 V) pack capable of regenerative charging and a high self-charging capacity. The origins of this technology were in Renault’s F1 racing program.

The Dacia Jogger will be the first hybrid-powered model in the company’s range, and it will offer electric start and electric-only driving. Dacia says the Jogger Hybrid will spend 80 per cent of its time on urban roads in pure-electric mode, saving 40 per cent of fuel compared to a petrol-powered Jogger. Ignition will always be in pure electric mode, as is the case with most strong-hybrid cars across the globe. Parent company Renault says that this allows the start to be responsive thanks to instant torque from the electric motors.

2021 Dacia Jogger rear
Boot space on the Jogger measures 160 litres in the seven-seat variant, while the five-seater brings in a total of 708 litres. Image: Dacia

The system manages power smartly, allowing configurations to run depending on the acceleration and power requirements. The system can automatically switch to pure electric mode, combustion mode or hybrid mode with the driver barely noticing the transitions. When the foot is off the accelerator pedal, the vehicle recovers kinetic energy produced by deceleration caused by the tyres’ rolling resistance and by braking. The stored energy is then released during hard acceleration or when the car is driving in pure electric mode.

The strong hybrid system optimises fuel efficiency and improves the overall driving experience thanks to the additional torque available from the electric motors.

Dacia CEO Denis Le Vot, in an interaction with Autocar UK, said that all of the Dacia vehicles, including the Jogger, share the platform, hardware and production facilities with their Renault counterparts which subsequently helps the brand in keeping the costs relatively low.

Safety

The Dacia Jogger comes equipped with six airbags, along with a wide range of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) features. This includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Park Assist, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Stability Control, Cruise Control with speed limiter. Blind Spot Warning and Reversing Camera are available in selected grades.

Dacia Jogger 3 rows of seating
The Jogger is the Logan MCV, Lodgy and Dokker replacement in one fell swoop. Image: Dacia

Euro NCAP has awarded Dacia Jogger a dismal 1-star safety rating. The unit undergoing crash tests was equipped with six airbags, seatbelts with pretensioners & load limiters, Isofix child seat anchorages and a seatbelt reminder system as standard fitment. The Euro NCAP test results were based on four parameters: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users and Safety Assist.

To begin with adult occupant protection, the Jogger achieved a 70% rating in this category. Coming to the child occupant protection, Dacia Jogger bagged a score of 69% percent in this section. Moving to the vulnerable road users section, the all-electric MPV had a slightly disappointing performance here with a score of 41%. Last but not least, the Safety Assist category in the Jogger was rated poorly by the Euro NCAP with a score of 39%.

Will Dacia improve the safety aspect of the Jogger Hybrid next year? We certainly hope so!

Price

The OTR prices of the Dacia Jogger petrol start at £16,645 (Including VAT, Registration Fee, and Delivery Charges) in the UK. The hybrid variant should start below £18,000.

Release

The pre-orders for the Jogger started on June 16th, with the first deliveries promised by the last quarter of 2022. The hybrid version is expected to be released in the UK by mid-2023.

Dacia Jogger FAQs

What is the Dacia Jogger Hybrid release date?

The Dacia Jogger petrol is available to pre-order now, with the Jogger Hybrid promised to come available in 2023.

What is the expected price of the Dacia Jogger Hybrid?

Dacia says that the Jogger will be the most accessible 7-seater hybrid on the market. Expect a sub-£18,000 starting price.

Is the Jogger available in the UK?

The Jogger is available to pre-order in the UK, with deliveries expected in the first half of this year.

Featured image source: Dacia