Hybrid Dacia Jogger takes 31 years to recoup £5k premium in fuel bills
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Budget car brand Dacia joins the electrified party with its first hybrid model to be unveiled this week.
The petrol-electric version of the seven-seater Jogger station wagon is available to order now, with prices starting from just £22,595.
That may be cheap compared to many similar new cars, but it’s a whopping £5,450 premium over the cheapest petrol-powered Jogger, which starts from just £17,145 – and is the cheapest car to buy in its segment.
But while the hybrid will offer better fuel economy, This is Money has calculated that the small saving on the annual fuel bill will take more than 31 years to recoup the £5,450 extra cost of choosing the greener option.
Is Dacia’s first electrified Jogger really the best option for buyers on a budget? We calculated that the extra cost over the standard petrol car would take 31 years to pay back in slightly cheaper annual fuel bills
The Romanian car company confirmed this week that its first-ever hybrid electric vehicle is now on sale and deliveries in the UK will begin from March.
Tested by This is Money last year, the seven-seater Jogger is a huge success story for the budget-friendly brand. year.
And the new Jogger Hybrid 140 will seek to build on this demand by offering what is officially the most affordable seven-seater hybrid vehicle on the UK market.
The Jogger Hybrid 140 is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine coupled to two electric motors and an automatic gearbox, combined with a small 1.2kWh (230V) battery.
Read our in-depth Dacia Jogger review
Can the Jogger really be considered an alternative to a traditional MPV? We decided to find out by putting the budget-friendly family bike through its paces in an extensive test.
> Read our Dacia Jogger review
It will deliver a total output of 140 hp, with Dacia claiming an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds and low emissions of 112 g/km of CO2.
According to official fuel economy figures, it will return up to 56.5 miles per gallon.
Based on the current average UK petrol pump price (149.5 pence per litre, according to RAC Fuel Watch on 10 January 2023), the annual fuel bill for driving 10,000 miles comes to £1,213.
By comparison, the cheapest petrol Jogger – from £17,145 – has a three-cylinder turbocharged 110PS engine that emits 130g/km of CO2 and gives an official fuel economy of 48.7mpg.
That means that the hybrid is 32 percent more expensive, but only 16 percent more economical. And this means that conventional gasoline probably makes the most sense for the majority of customers who average annual mileage.
Driving 10,000 miles a year at current fuel prices will see owners of the 1.0-litre petrol run up an annual petrol bill of £1,387.
That’s normal £174 more than the fuel cost for the more expensive hybrid version.
Based on our calculations using current petrol prices, it would take more than 31 years of annual fuel cost savings to recoup the hybrid version’s £5,450 premium price tag.
Both variants produce CO2 emissions eligible for the same vehicle tax scheme (111-130g/km), although owners of the hybrid model pay £10 less in car tax thanks to an existing discount for ‘alternative fuel’ cars engine.
Dacia bosses say the petrol-electric Jogger is “the most accessible hybrid family car on the market, with generous interior space and all the essentials”
The Jogger Hybrid is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine coupled to two electric motors and an automatic gearbox, combined with a small 1.2kWh (230V) battery. According to official fuel economy figures, it will return to 56.5 mpg
The conventional petrol Jogger – which we tested – costs an average of £174 a year more in fuel bills than the hybrid variant. However, it’s almost £5,500 cheaper to buy
Annual VED for the petrol version currently costs £190, while the hybrid costs £180 discounted.
How to save money on your fuel bill
Read our guide to reducing your fuel consumption, which means fewer trips to the pumps
Using very simple eco-driving techniques “could easily save the equivalent of 9 pence per litre,” says the AA.
For drivers desperate to get the most out of the expensive fuel they’re currently pumping into their cars, we’ve put together our top 10 best tips for driving as efficiently as possible.
Add this to the slightly lower cost of annual fuel bills and the hybrid offers £184 a year in running cost savings.
We’ve calculated that even with cheaper tax included, it’ll still take over 29 years to recoup the extra £5,450 upfront cost of the hybrid Jogger.
Like the petrol, the hybrid comes with a standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty for the car, with Dacia adding a separate eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the 1.2kW battery.
Lionel Jaillet, Dacia’s vice president for product and performance, said of its arrival in the UK: “Less than a year after the launch of the Jogger, we are taking another step by presenting another version of the model with a Hybrid 140 engine.
“It’s a clutchless hybrid, with full electric start and lower fuel consumption.
“The Jogger Hybrid 140 represents Dacia’s position perfectly: it is the most accessible hybrid family car on the market, with generous interior space and all the essential functions.
“By installing this engine, Dacia has taken the leap into hybrid technology.”
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