Christmas travel has a habit of turning a simple drive into a full-blown packing puzzle. Between suitcases, presents, winter coats and the inevitable “just in case” items, space disappears quickly.
Add in travelling with dogs or family (or both), and suddenly the boot becomes the most important feature on the car. With practicality at its core, the New Dacia Jogger feels well suited to festive journeys — so we put it to the test.
The Festive Packing List
To keep things realistic, we aimed for a setup most people will recognise:
- Two medium suitcases
- Two weekend bags
- A box of wrapped Christmas presents
- Coats, scarves and winter boots
- A food bag for the journey
- Extra items for dogs or family members who insist they “don’t need much”.
Step One: The Big Stuff Goes In First
Suitcases always win the argument, so they go in first. The New Jogger’s long, square boot makes it easy to slide larger bags in flat, without needing to wrestle them into position.
Already, it feels less like a game of luggage Tetris — which is a promising start.
Step Two: Soft Items Save the Day
Winter clothing turns out to be your secret weapon. Coats, scarves and jumpers are ideal for filling awkward gaps, protecting presents and quietly making everything look more organised than it really is.
They also provide a helpful buffer between bags — just in case the drive gets a little bumpy.
Step Three: Presents Need Special Treatment
Wrapped presents are delicate creatures. Corners get crushed, bows go missing and sellotape gives up entirely if you’re not careful.
The trick is to place gift boxes on top of softer bags or wedge them securely, so they don’t slide around. Bonus points if you keep them easy to reach — nobody wants to unload half the boot just to grab a present on arrival.
Step Four: Leave Space for the Important Passengers
If you’re travelling with dogs or children, space matters just as much as layout. A flat boot floor makes it easier to fit a dog bed, crate or extra bags without everything collapsing into chaos.
And yes, someone will still ask, “Can we fit one more thing?” The answer, surprisingly often, is yes.
Step Five: The ‘Need-It-Now’ Bag
Every Christmas journey needs a small, easily accessible bag for:
- Snacks and drinks
- Charging cables
- Hats and gloves
- Emergency supplies (biscuits count)
Keeping this within reach saves rummaging at service stations — and avoids unnecessary grumpiness.
The Christmas Verdict
With a bit of planning, the Dacia Jogger handles festive packing with ease. Its practical shape and flexible space make it well suited to real Christmas travel — whether that involves family visits, present swapping or accommodating passengers with four legs or strong opinions.
It’s less about squeezing everything in, and more about how calmly you can do it!
