Styling and dimensions
The only thing that has remained from the outgoing Spring is the roof, Dacia has changed all of the other body panels and we think it now has the look of a baby Duster. In terms of size, it’s small and compact, taking up the same amount of road space as a VW e-Up.
The Electrifying team are divided over whether it’s a small hatchback with a raised ride height or a tiny SUV - but what we all agree on is that it looks great and is a vast improvement over the old version.
It has all the cool features of Dacia’s new look design; like the new logo, slim headlights and funky Y-shaped rear lights. We like the fact that there are no chrome effect pieces of trim - they’re bad for the environment - instead there are stickers which add to the sense of fun . There's a choice of six body colours that include two new options, Brick Red and Beige Safari and the trim on the lower parts of the doors can be easily and cheaply replaced should you get a prang in a supermarket car park.
Interior
Dacia has totally changed the interior from the car we drove last year and that’s a good thing because we thought it was a bit too basic. The quality is much improved and it’s also a nicer place to be with a choice of three trim and equipment levels on offer; Essential, Expression and Extreme. It looks like we’ll be taking the two top level trims in the UK, so even the entry level car won’t be the most basic.
In the front there's a new dashboard design, with all cars getting a seven-inch digital driver's display, while the two higher trim levels get a 10-inch infotainment system which connects with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s a nice sense of fun in the interior and practical elements like the surround to the driver’s display, the door bins and the gear selector are highlighted in white. There are flashes of coloured trim - different colours for different trim levels - and like the new Duster you can order Dacia's clever YouClip mounts which enable you to attach your phone, or a cup holder or a portable light to various places in the car. If you opt for the Extreme trim you get sturdy, rubber floor mats and door sills.
However; the small and more ‘cost conscious’ feeling is evident when you get in the back, where it does feel very compact. You don’t get much other than pockets on the back of the rear seats and if you want to carry people - other than children - regularly in the back of your small electric car, then the Citroen e-C3 and MG4 have more space.
Boot space
The Spring may be compact but at 308 litres its boot leads the competition when it comes to size. It’s even larger than the Peugeot e-208 which is a car from the class above. The read bench seat folds down - almost flat - which expands the space to over 1,000 litres, although you will have to lug heavy loads over the boot lip. Up front there’s you can also opt for a frunk which will give you another 35 litres, ideal for carrying your charging cables.
Battery and charging
In the UK we'll be getting just one battery size and at 26.8 kWh it's about half the size of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric's and quite a bit smaller than the 44 kWh battery you'll find in the Citroen e-C3. As Dacia is focused on keeping the Spring as light as possible - it’s less than half the weight of a VW ID.3 - Dacia claims it will cover over 137 miles of official WLTP range on a full charge. That’s more than the Mazda MX-30, which has a larger battery pack. You’ll be able to get the most out of your range as the Spring is fitted with regenerative braking for the first time, which feeds precious energy normally lost through braking back into the car's battery.
The Spring has a slow 7kW on-board charger, and a charge from a home wallbox will take four hours. Dacia says many owners will opt to use a three-pin socket to charge, which takes 11 hours; and in Europe there will be the option of a socket booster which uses a more robust three pin which can charge at 3.2kW rather than the usual 2.3 and sees the time cut to around 7 hours - expect to see a similar piece of kit on offer in the UK.
A 30 kW DC charger enables fast(ish) charging from 20% to 80% in 45 minutes, This is standard on the two more powerful models on sale in the UK, but won’t be on offer - even as an option - on the entry level 45 version. The charging flap is nicely located in the centre at the front of the car and a vehicle-to-load adaptor, which allows you to charge up other things from your car - like an e-bike, or vacuum cleaner (should you want to spring clean your Spring) - is fitted as standard on the top of the range Extreme spec.
Driving
We haven't driven the new Spring yet but it should feel at home in town with its tight turning circle and compact size making it easily manoeuvrable. The high ground clearance will also come in handy when you head out of the city or have to navigate potholes and speed bumps.
While there's only one battery on offer, there are two different electric motors both powering the front wheels, a 65 horsepower motor and a second which produces a rather modest 45 horsepower. The most powerful version delivers pretty sprightly performance with 0-62mph taking less than 14 seconds, not exactly speedy by modern electric car standards but plenty powerful enough for a small car like this.
As for the 45 horsepower version, well that takes a rather pedestrian 19.1 seconds to get to 62mph. But if you’re looking for a small electric car to mainly use around town then its leisurely pace shouldn't be an issue for you.
Verdict
The Dacia Spring costs between £14,995 and £16,995 and we can see why you might be tempted by one. Order books are open ahead of October 2024 deliveries. It’s a fun affordable package and would make a great choice if you’re looking for a small electric car. We’ll have to get behind the wheel and spend more time with it before we deliver our final verdict but on the evidence we’ve seen the Dacia Spring could well be the best value for money electric car on sale in the UK.