The Dacia Spring, one of the UK’s cheapest electric cars, has received a major update that has introduced a fresh new look, an overhauled interior and tweaks to its zero-emission powertrain.
Replacing the current generation model, which holds status as the UK’s cheapest car – electric or otherwise – while the new Dacia Spring will cost more (around £18,000) when it goes on sale later this year, it will still be one of the most affordable new models on the market.
Based on the same platform as the recently launched Renault Twingo – which in turn draws many of its technical features from the top-selling Renault 5 - the Spring has upgraded to the same 27.5kWh battery as its French cousin.
That allows for 155-miles of combined range, according to Dacia, which should be sufficient for use around urban environments with only semi-regular charging required.
It is on the surface where the Spring has seen the biggest changes, however, with the city car gaining a more substantial rugged look that echoes other models in the Dacia range, such as the Sandero and Duster.
While there is clear relation to the Twingo in its profile, whereas that model has been celebrated for its cute, soft lines, the Spring gets a squared-off front-end and chunky haunches to give it mini-SUV like proportions.
Beyond the aesthetics, elements of the design process have been applied for practical reasons, such as the impact absorbing bumpers which are constructed so as to limit costly repairs after bumps and scrapes, while the lightweight wheel covers are plastic but made to look like alloys.
It’s a similar story inside with the Spring gaining a well thought out design that combines recycled materials that are designed to be both hard-wearing and durable. It also has a customisable quality thanks to Dacia’s YouClip feature, which allows it to be accessorised easily with items like a storage area, a phone holder and a handy shelf.
Despite its small size, the Spring’s clever packaging allows for perfectly acceptable rear head and legroom without denting the sizeable 337-litres of boot space. This grows to a surprising 1,278-litres with the rear seats down.
As well as delivering 155-miles of range, the battery can be quickly charged from 15-80% in just 28-minutes.
The improvements have come at a price with the predicted £18,000 price tag meaning it’ll cede its status as the cheapest car in the UK, a mantle which will switch to the Leapmotor T03.
However, Dacia says the Spring is likely to quality for at least the Band 2 Electric Car Grant, which will reduce the price by at least £1,500.
The new Dacia Spring is due to reach Vertu Dacia showrooms in early-2027 with order books to open prior to that.
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- Dacia
- Electric
- New Cars