REVIEW: The Dacia Jogger gains Renault's latest hybrid tech - but should you choose this version over the petrol?
launched, Renault said that E-Tech had been developed as a fairly low-cost hybrid system with the view to using it to electrify Dacia models.
As a refresher, this consists of a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine; a clutchless and unsynchronised four-speed gearbox; and two electric motors. The larger of those drives through the ’box, while the smaller one acts as a starter-generator and adjusts the engine’s RPM for rev-matching.Since the standard 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine is always coupled to a manual, the Hybrid is also the only Jogger with an automatic option.
The good news on paper is that the Hybrid gets a 28bhp boost over the 1.0 TCe and shaves 1.1sec off the 0-62mph time, although the result is still a hardly breathtaking 10.1sec. The 1.2kWh battery also robs no luggage space. However, it does take the place of the spare wheel. The driving experience is mostly what you would expect from the combination of the Jogger with the E-Tech system. The suspension is soft but well controlled, making it remarkably comfortable, and it’s surprisingly good fun on a twisty road, as the steering weights up intuitively in the corners. No changes there.
The powertrain is happiest when you take it easy, as then it can surf on the electric power. Even so, the engine is very rough at idle and when it’s charging the battery. If you then demand a lot of acceleration, you could be waiting a while for that complicated ’box to slot the right ratio, whether up or down. The hybrid may have 28bhp more than the 1.0 TCe, but due to those long gears and slow shifts, it feels only marginally quicker.
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