Dacia Sandero And Jogger Updated With More Power For 2026

We may have mentioned it once or twice before, but we’re rather big fans of what Dacia has been doing lately. In a market dominated by ever-spiralling costs, the Renault-owned Romanian brand has managed to stop things getting too silly in that department while its products have simultaneously become the best they’ve ever been.

The updates are coming thick and fast, too. Fresh off the announcement of new powertrains for the Duster and Bigster 4x4s, the rest of the brand’s range is being treated to a refresh for 2026 and, in some cases, a decent chunk of extra power.

The Sandero supermini, its jacked-up Stepway sibling and the seven-seater Jogger are all getting a light visual update, with slender LED running lights and a pixel motif on the grille. Between these cars, Hyundai’s EVs and the Fiat Grande Panda, this appears to be the car industry’s new favourite thing.

The bumpers and rear lights are getting redesigned too, while the plastic cladding on the Sandero Stepway and Jogger is being replaced by the speckled, 20 per cent recycled ‘Starkle’ material already found on the Duster and Bigster. There’s a new matte black strip running across the rear of the Stepway, while a couple of new colour and wheel options round out the exterior changes.

Inside, you’ll find redesigned air vents, fresh fabrics, and the options of a wireless phone charger and a new 10-inch central infotainment screen. The trio of models also gain mounting points for Dacia’s YouClip accessory system, to which you can attach many things.

But wait, what was that about more power? Glad you asked. Sadly, there’s still no Sandero hot hatch (we can dream), but the Jogger is gaining the Hybrid 155 powertrain introduced on the Bigster and recently announced for the Duster, pairing a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 49bhp electric motor for a total of 153bhp. It’s topped off with a lightly confusing gearbox arrangement with four forward speeds for the petrol engine and a further two for the e-motor. This powertrain will also come to the Sandero Stepway in late 2026.

It won’t be coming to the regular Sandero, but that’s still getting a modest power boost – its 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder is up from 89 to 99bhp, and remains paired with a six-speed manual as standard.

The updates will be arriving soon, with any changes to pricing currently unconfirmed. They come as part of a raft of changes to the Dacia range – in addition to the upcoming Hybrid 4x4 versions of the Duster and Bigster, the diminutive Spring EV is getting a chunk more power too (although it’s still not going to bother any hot hatches).