Dacia Jogger - Interior, design and technology
Decent levels of kit and a functional cabin mean the Dacia Jogger should be a hit with families
The design approach for the Dacia Jogger certainly makes a case for form following function, because the exterior doesn’t offer the swooping lines or intricate detailing often seen on more expensive rivals. If you’re in the market for an imposing seven-seater SUV, you’ll be better off exploring the competition from manufacturers such as Hyundai, Kia and Skoda.
The Jogger's overall look is a bit of a mixed bag; picture a budget version of a higher-riding estate like the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack or Audi A4 Allroad, and you’ll start to get the idea, while the Jogger’s rear-end takes on a bland, MPV-like appearance. Some black body cladding around the wheel arches and a fake front skidplate do their best to encourage a sense of robustness.
What is the Dacia Jogger like inside?
It’s inside where the Jogger really shines. Space inside the cabin is excellent, while the dash layout is practical and user-friendly, with rotary controls for the heating and ventilation functions instead of an awkward touchscreen-based system. One difference between the petrol and hybrid Jogger models is the instrument dials. The regular version gets a basic set of analogue dials; all hybrids feature a seven-inch display that shows efficiency-related information, including the current state of ‘power flow’. It's not as customisable as other digital driver's displays, but it's crisp enough, at least.
What is the interior quality like?
The majority of the dashboard is made of dark, hard plastic, like its van-based MPV contemporaries, such as the Ford Tourneo Connect and Volkswagen Caddy. There has been an attempt to soften things up a bit with fabric inserts across the middle section of the dashboard and on the front door armrests, but it doesn’t have the more premium finish of the Volkswagen Touran. The large glasshouse means it shouldn’t feel too oppressive for passengers – even in the third-row seats.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
Dacia’s infotainment setup gives buyers a reason to move from one trim to the next. The base model encourages the use of a smartphone, combining a Dacia app with a dashboard mount, while top-of-the-range versions come with an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with integrated sat-nav.
The mid-range Expression (previously named Comfort) trim sits between the two, and comes with all you need. There's no built-in sat-nav, but it does get you the eight-inch display, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can just plug your phone in and access your preferred apps.
Dacia’s infotainment system is basic, but it works fine. The home page is split into six large squares to access key functions. It’s nothing special, and you occasionally need to tap the screen twice before it responds, but it gets the job done.
One criticism we have is that the screen doesn’t automatically adjust for brightness. It needs to be turned up to be legible during the day, but it’s oppressively bright at night, so you need to dig into a sub-menu and change it every time.
