Dacia Jogger Hybrid 140 2023 UK first drive

Of all the cars so far fitted with the Renault Group’s innovative, clutchless Hybrid 140 powertrain, the Dacia Jogger seems the most logical choice. The economy marque’s C-segment seven-seater has been on sale in the UK for a year and is already selling out of its socks – so well priced that 73% of buyers are opting for top-spec Extreme with its climate control and shark-fin antenna.

Even so, economy is very much the point of cars in this price band, and the new Hybrid 140 slashes petrol consumption by 16% compared with the petrol-only TCe, and allows the car to operate on electric power only for up to 80% of its town driving.

Based around a docile, low-tune, non-turbo 1.6-litre engine producing 93bhp, the Hybrid 140 adds the power of two electric motors – one big and one small – to produce a total of 138bhp, which means the car will sprint from 0-62mph in a highly respectable 10.1sec and post a 110mph top speed. The combined fuel economy is 56.5mpg, while its 112g/km CO2 output undercuts that of the TCe model by 18g/km.

The hybrid system sounds complex but is impressively logical. The transversely mounted 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine drives the front wheels through a four-speed automatic dog ’box, which uses the instant torque of the smaller electric motor (a starter-generator) to fill in the torque gaps so that the gears mesh perfectly and the power progression under acceleration is seamless.

A larger electric traction motor on the other end of the gearbox from the engine contributes drive through its own two-speed gearbox, providing thrust at low speed and on a motorway cruise. A clutch isn’t needed because the car always pulls away on electric power only. There’s a freewheel that lets the car run at up to 45mph on electric power only, though this won’t be for long: the 200V battery has the relatively modest capacity of 1.2kWh.

There’s a price to pay for economy, of course. Our test car in Expression trim (the entry-level hybrid spec) cost £22,995 instead of £19,595 for the petrol-only TCe, so the hybrid margin is £3400 – which you can view either as a solid increase over the petrol alternative or an easy-to-swallow extra cost for the most frugal version of a family seven-seater that’s still a bargain. We take the latter view, and Dacia’s people expect about a third of their UK buyers to agree.

The Jogger’s model range is unchanged, with three trim levels (two for the hybrid). Even the most basic version gets modern essentials such as manual air conditioning, electric front windows, rear parking sensors and a steering column adjustable for rake and reach. The top-spec Extreme is well equipped with climate control, black alloys, better infotainment and ‘outdoor’ styling details in Copper Brown.