MODEL ON TEST: EXTREME HYBRID 155 AUTOMATIC – MILEAGE – 5,050

DARREN MANN
Believe it other not, at 52, I am one of the youngest people living in our street. When our new long-term Dacia arrived, it became quite a “big thing”, causing a great deal of curtain twitching and creating quite a stir on our sleepy street. And for good reason, as it’s very easy on the eye.

At first glance the Sandstone metallic paint paired with the copper-coloured wing mirrors that forms part of the Extreme specification are very appealing.The decals that run along the sides and rear of the vehicle add an extra dimension too,and are very eye catching.They are complemented by black 16-inch alloy wheels, roof bars and a shark fin aerial that reinforces its rugged appeal.The redesigned, minimalist Dacia link logo that arrived in late 2022 is proudly embossed on the front grille. White square accents follow symmetrically across either side, meeting the front headlights to complete its confident stare. Further investigation reveals that the Dacia ‘DC’ link logo symbolises the strong connection of Dacia to its Customer. Well, it’s certainly got my attention.

When entering the car, before I have even taken my seat, I am greeted with a cheerful tune as the infotainment system kicks into action on the 10-inch touchscreen display. Looking around,
the detailing from the exterior of the car is mirrored beautifully on the inside, with branding embossed into the front seats and copper coloured touches throughout. The car feels solid and spacious and
even has seven-seats as standard, which seems to stretch for miles in the rear-view mirror. Within moments I had my iPhone connected to the Apple CarPlay system and I’m good to go.

The Jogger feels responsive as I pull away from my driveway, and it doesn’t take long for me to get used to the impressive performance delivered by the 153bhp self-charging hybrid drivetrain.The steering feels reassuringly weighted and the higher- than-usual central armrest and comfortable driving position offer good support and maximum visibility. It’s on the longer more winding roads that this car seems to
really excel as the handling and grip are particularly impressive when taking bends at speed.This month I have mainly used the car for my daily 16-mile commute and twice weekly 60-mile trip to see my mother and it has returned an impressive 57.6mpg. Next month the Dacia will be taking us on holiday, where we will see how it performs on the sweeping, picturesque roads of North Wales.

At the time of writing, I am yet to see another Jogger Hybrid in this colour, but it’s certainly a real head turner and I’ve noticed curious glances and envious stares while on my travels.

The only slight niggle I have noticed is that the power folding mirrors don’t fold in automatically when locking the car, and I’ve since discovered that this is a new feature on 2026 model cars. But it can be completed manually by using a button on the door panel before getting out of the car. I’m worried that the car’s ears will get clipped when it’s parked and so I try to remember folding them before getting out. That aside, I’m absolutely delighted with the Jogger and look forward to the next six months with the car.

SAMMY MANN
Theres nothing like the smell of a new car is there? I was genuinely surprised by the brilliance of the chosen colour scheme. The lightness makes it feel like summer on the driveway, and with the added bronze wing mirrors and black handles and wheels, the Jogger is edgy and cool.A million miles away from the usual humdrum of family cars. It makes me happy, and I’ve found that as a passenger, the Dacia feels both spacious and cosy all at the same time.The boys sit in the ‘back back’ and Dazzler and I even have conversations that aren’t interrupted. I can’t wait to see how it drives over the coming weeks.

LOGAN MANN [AGED 9]
I think the car looks super cool. I love being in the back two seats of the car and I call it the‘back,back’.There’s an awesome little space to the side of me to put a drink and a book.

BARNEY MANN [AGED 6]
I love the wheels and the tray on the back of daddy’s seat which pulls up to hold my drink.

THE MANN FAMILY

WHAT’S HOT: The acceleration is very impressive.

WHAT’S NOT: The door mirrors not folding in automatically when the car is locked.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:

7-inch digital instruments, 16-inch alloy wheels with Continental EcoContact 7 S 205/60 R16 tyres
and tyre repair kit, 60/40 split/fold second row seats, 50/50 folding/removeable third row seats, Anti- lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, Automatic headlights, Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Climate control, Cruise control with speed limiter, DAB radio with 10-inch touchscreen, navigation, 6-speakers, USB-C sockets and steering wheel controls, Driver drowsiness detection, Driver, passenger, side and head airbags with passenger side de-activation, Electric mirrors, Electric park brake, Electric windows front and rear, Electronic stability programme with traction control, Emergency e-call system, Extended grip functionality, Front fog lights, Heated front seats, Heated steering wheel, Hill start assist, ISOFIX child seat safety fasteners for middle row outer seats, Keyless entry and start, Lane departure warning system, Lane keeping assist, LED daytime running lights, Rain sensing windscreen wipers, Rear parking sensors, Rear privacy glass, Reversing camera, Roof bars, Traffic sign recognition, Tyre pressure monitors, Wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth smartphone compatibility

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:

Sandstone metallic paint (£650)

FACTS & FIGURES

PRICE (NEW): £24,630

PRICE (NOW): £25,280

COLOUR: Sandstone metallic

BUILT IN: Tangiers, Morocco

CODENAME: RJI

GENERATION: 1 Facelift

PLATFORM: Renault-Nissan CMF-B LS

BODYSTYLE: 5-door estate, 7-seats

LAYOUT: Front-wheel drive

POWERPLANT: 1,789cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve petrol with electric motor and 1.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack

GEARBOX: 6-speed automatic

MAX POWER (ENGINE): 80kW/107bhp/109ps

MAX POWER (ELECTRIC MOTOR): 36kW/48bhp/49ps

MAX POWER (COMBINED): 116kW/156bhp/158ps

MAX TORQUE (ENGINE): 127lb ft/172Nm

MAX TORQUE (ELECTRIC MOTOR): 151lb ft/205Nm

TOP SPEED: 111mph

0-62MPH: 9.0secs

CO2 EMISSIONS: 104g/km

ECONOMY (COMBINED): 61.4mpg

ECONOMY (ON TEST): 57.6mpg

FUEL TANK: 50 litres

RANGE: 675 miles

INSURANCE GROUP: tba

BIK RATE: (2026/2027 TAX YEAR) 27%

SIZE: (LENGTH/WIDTH WITH MIRRORS/HEIGHT/ WHEELBASE) 4,550/2,012/1,689/2,898mm

BOOT SPACE: (7/5/2-SEAT) 212/699/2,085 litres

KERB WEIGHT: 1,388kg

TOWING WEIGHT: 1,200kg

EURO NCAP RATING: One star

SPARE WHEEL: (FULL-SIZE/SPACESAVER/RUN-FLAT/ SELF-SEALING/REPAIR KIT) No/no/no/no/yes

 WARRANTY: 3 years/60,000 miles up to a service activated 7 years/75,000 miles

DATE ARRIVED: 10th July 2026

COSTS: None

FAULTS: None