New 2022 Dacia Jogger is UK's cheapest seven-seater at £14,995

The Sandero and Jogger are identical from the B-pillar forwards, but Dacia has engineered a 40mm step-up from the B-pillar backwards to give additional height and width, allowing the rear cabin to benefit from additional passenger space. 

Three systems are offered for the multimedia interface: Media Control, which comprises a smartphone cradle and docking station; Media Display, which adds four speakers and an 8.0in touchscreen; and Media Nav, which brings wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, sat-nav and six speakers. 

Thanks to a flexible platform borrowed from parent firm Renault (which uses it for the Renault Clio and Renault Captur), the Jogger will offer three engines.

First to arrive is a 1.0-litre turbo triple that produces 108bhp and up to 90% of its maximum 148lb ft from 1700rpm. This will also drop into the Renault Mégane in time and is likely to make up the majority of Jogger sales.

A 99bhp LPG Joger will also be offered after launch, using the same Bi-Fuel engine that appears in the Sandero. Neither 0-62mph times nor fuel economy figures have been released yet.

The hybrid, due in 2023, combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine, two electric motors (one an e-motor and the other a beefed-up alternator) and a multi-mode automatic gearbox, plus a 1.2kWh battery to make electric-only running possible for short distances.

There are no plans for a plug-in hybrid at this stage, although the flexibility of the platform means that one could be offered in the future. According to David Durrand, Dacia’s design director: “We can take this existing technology and adapt it very quickly because the platform is the same. We would need less than one year to change it.” 

Q&A: David Durrand, exterior design director, Dacia

What's your favourite part of the Jogger?"The way that we matched the front of the Sandero with the rear cabin of the Jogger. The Jogger is a bit wider and taller, which was a challenge on the design side, because we needed to continue the lines running to the rear. We had this idea of the two boxes and creating this step between the front door and the second part of the car. 

"I also like the way the rear lights have been finished, where we wanted to avoid a utility vehicle but still maintain the wide opening. If you push everything to make the space inside, the risk could be to have an ugly car on the outside. We tried to make it strong but not utilitarian."

Where did you have the biggest argument with engineering?

"In this type of car, seven-seaters, the third-row head room is the biggest compromise. Engineers would like a very horizontal roof with a very upright rear, but the car could look strange at the end. In our case, we managed to keep a little angle on the rear window on the tailgate, with the roof going down slightly to meet it. It was also good having an SUV-style car, with the roofbars, because the boxy shape is more acceptable than on other types, like estates."

Is that part of the reason for the additional ground clearance, to make it more like an SUV despite being two-wheel drive?"It was important for the design because the car is very long. We want to avoid an extruded car or to have too long a car, so by raising it and adding the roofbars, it stretches it vertically.

"In our Dacia philosophy, we have the Duster to off-road and the Sandero for everyday life. This is more for the family road trip. You can put everybody in the car, you close the doors, you put your sports stuff on the roof and you can you can go wherever you want. And even if the road conditions are bad, no problem."