Dacia’s new Extreme trim line is perfect for those who want to get back to nature

​The Dacia brand has given its entire range an ‘Extreme’ makeover to make it more appealing to lovers of the great outdoors.

Earlier this week I was invited to see the new trim-level that tops the Dacia range.

The Extreme trim adds a new dimension to the brand, with new colours that reflect both a dark forest and golden (or copper brown, as Dacia call them) autumn leaves.

Dacia’s flagship models — Sandero Stepway, Duster and Jogger — are now available with the Extreme trim.

The Extreme trim tops the Dacia range. For the Sandero Stepway and Jogger, it sits above the current Essential and Expression finishes.

For the Duster, the Extreme trim comes after Essential, Expression and Journey.

Not only that, Dacia’s seven-seater Jogger is now available with a removable ‘Sleep Pack’, which transforms the SUV into a mobile camping unit in just a matter of minutes. But I will get into that a little later on.

On the outside, all the new Extreme-level models feature a more rugged exterior look with a massive front grille that sports a rather large ‘X’ badge.

Other noticeable details include copper-brown detailing on the wing mirrors, rear badging and on the new 17-inch alloy wheel caps.

Inside, there’s more colour-coding everywhere you look, from the seats to the front air vents.

On top of that, Dacia has introduced new rubber floor mats and seat materials that are easily cleaned after a weekend in the great outdoors.

Elsewhere around the cabin, there is a very familiar look to the other models in the range.

Dacia’s eight-inch touch-screen takes pride of place in the centre of the dash.

I have to say, although it looks basic enough, it is very user-friendly and puts some of the systems found in premium cars to shame.

The system itself is slightly angled towards the driver and comes with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections.

There is plenty of space in the Jogger — after all, this was voted the AA Ireland Car of the Year for 2023, and I can see why.

It features a third row that is certainly not just suited to the smaller rugrats.

I sat in the back and tested it out for myself and found it more than comfortable even for a rather large unit like myself.

With the third row folded, the Jogger offers an enormous amount of space.

There’s so much room on offer that Dacia’s design team have now come up with a new aforementioned accessory called the ‘Sleep Pack’, which can turn the car into a bedroom for two in a matter of minutes.

The Sleep Pack consists of a wooden box, made to fit inside the Jogger’s boot, which unfolds in minutes to form a large double bed with mattress.

The mattress covers the entire rear section of the car, from the back of the front seats, over the folded-down second-row bench seat and out over the tailgate.

The final sleeping space is particularly generous, boasting 190cm length, up to 130 cm width, with a roof clearance of a minimum of 60cm.

I have to admit it is very well put together and, for the likes of myself, worth the €1,841 it costs as an added extra.

Another new feature of the Extreme-level trim is ‘Extended Grip’ for off-road exploring.

The Sandero Stepway Extreme and Jogger Extreme now come with the Extended Grip as standard.

It can be activated via controls on the centre console and it adapts how the ESP and ASR work so the wheels can rotate more freely and find better grip under loose surfaces.

For drivers who need to venture through particularly tough terrain, the Duster with the 4X4 transmission is available with Extreme.

Prices for the Sandero Stepway Extreme TCe 90 start at €22,340; Duster Extreme TCe 90 €27,390; and Dacia Jogger Extreme TCe 110 five-seater from €28,440.