The first Dacia Spring was clearly a test to see whether there’s appetite for small EVs from UK buyers.
It only arrived here in 2024, having been on sale elsewhere since 2021. Now, there’s a new Dacia Spring with plenty of upgrades but still the promise of a low price.
When it goes on sale in the next few months, it’s expected to start from under £18,000 – and that’s not including any potential electric car grant deductions. With the Spring being built in Europe, it should qualify for at least £1,500 off.
Even with the grant, the new Spring is set to cost a bit more than the old car’s price – but it'll still be one of the cheapest electric cars you can buy. Only the Leapmotor T03 will be cheaper as things stand.
New Dacia Spring specifications and trim levels
Like the outgoing car, there are two trim levels to pick from. Expression is the cheaper of the two, and comes with a digital driver’s display, rear parking sensors, auto headlights, air conditioning and an electric handbrake – which the old car didn’t have.
Top-spec Journey includes a touchscreen, a reversing camera, a hands-free key card and fancier upholstery.
Interior
The new Spring’s interior looks broadly similar to the old one, with lots of durable and easy-clean materials and a simple layout. Keen observers will notice that the interior design has slightly changed to match the new Renault Twingo, with which the new Spring shares its platform and parts.
Expression models feature a phone holder and a USB connection, and you can download Dacia’s app to use your phone as the infotainment system. You can use it in portrait or landscape mode for the first time. Media and phone info is displayed on the driver’s screen.
The Media Nav Live system, fitted to the Journey trim, includes a built-in touchscreen with sat nav (with eight years of live traffic and European mapping) plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This system also lets you preheat the cabin remotely, track the vehicle and schedule charging.
Either three or four of Dacia’s YouClip points are included (depending on trim level), and you can buy accessories to fit them – such as a cable organiser or an extra cupholder – from the manufacturer.
Size and dimensions
| New Dacia Spring | Difference versus previous Spring | |
| Length | 3.85m | +15cm |
| Width (excl. mirrors) | 1.74m | +18cm |
| Boot space (seats up/down) | 337/1,283 litres | +29/+279 litres |
| Weight | 1,212kg | +206kg |
As the Spring moves to a new platform – Renault’s RG-EV Small platform shared with the Twingo and the upcoming Nissan Pixo – it has grown in every dimension. That should make the Spring more comfortable for rear passengers, whereas the outgoing model is rather tight for more than two people.
The boot floor lifts up in two sections to give you more storage, as long as you’re happy to go without a spare wheel. Like before, a frunk is optional to give you extra storage space for things like the charging cable under the bonnet.
It’s good to see that the rear seatback now folds in a 50:50 split, improving the Spring’s versatility. Additionally, the steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach.
Range and performance
Matching the Twingo, the Spring now offers just one powertrain, and the new 80hp motor splits the difference of what was offered in recent versions. A 0-62mph sprint takes 12.1 seconds, and the top speed is 80mph. More tellingly, the 0-31mph time should be under four seconds, so the Spring is likely to feel very nippy around town.
Renault’s 27.5kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery enables a maximum range of 155 miles, which is 15 up on the current Spring and in the same region as the T03.
We’re told that the Spring can charge at 6.6kW as standard, and that you’ll need to upgrade to the optional Charge Pack to add 50kW DC fast-charging. Dacia says that three-quarters of Spring drivers charge at home (a home wallbox will do a 15-80% top-up in under three hours), but it’s a little disappointing that the fast-charging isn’t included when it’s standard on the Twingo.
Go for the Charge Pack and you’ll also get Vehicle-to-Load, allowing you to charge other electricals from the Spring’s battery.
The new Spring is the first of four electric Dacia models planned to launch before 2030.
Fall for a used Dacia Spring
While the new Spring promises to be one of the most affordable new EVs, you can save yourself a packet by picking up a used Dacia Spring from Motorpoint. Read our Dacia Spring review to see what we like about the current car.
