Dacia Jogger

All-new seven-seat MPV promises great practicality along with spectacular value for money On sale Now Price from £14,995

- Max Adams

TALK ABOUT SHOOTING at an open goal. MPV rivals to the Dacia Jogger are relatively thin on the ground these days, with the majority of players favouring the SUV division instead. And the few stars that remain – the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagen Touran, for example – have become quite expensive. That leaves the low cost Jogger facing an undefended net.

The Jogger’s trim line-up is easy to follow: keep things basic with Essential, get all you need with Comfort, or splash out on Extreme SE. The only options are metallic paint and a spare wheel.

The engine range is even more limited. The sole option is a 109bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol that delivers a 0-62mph time of 11.2sec – so the Jogger isn’t the quickest player out there. It needs to be thrashed to get up to motorway speeds, and the manual gearbox requires frequent stirring to keep the engine on the boil.

All versions are shod with sensibly sized 16in wheels, so there won’t be any complaints about ride comfort. Around town, the suspension soaks up the worst from speed bumps and potholes better than you might expect, although it isn’t as supple as the pricier Touran. The Jogger’s raised ride height gives it 200mm of ground clearance, but body control is still decent over undulations on the motorway, so car sickness shouldn’t be an issue.