Remember the Spring’s launch with its 45 small horses that made it an urban-only vehicle. The new base version still can’t cruise at 130 km/h (about 81 mph), but it proves infinitely more versatile thanks to acceleration that’s more than sufficient to weave into traffic or even onto the highway… as long as the battery doesn’t run down!
Dacia Spring: in its time
The previous facelift of the Spring allowed it to noticeably modernize its exterior and interior. Those evolutions remain highly relevant: despite its low price, it doesn’t give off too much of a “cheap” vibe, especially when you opt for the Techno package with the multimedia screen. That said, the Spring remains very narrow and offers very little rear-seat space. A bright spot, however, is its trunk volume!
Dacia Spring: better on the road
Again, the improvements compared with the first model are remarkable. Indeed, the Spring has become a “real” car, with handling finally acceptable, including on highways, while its Linglong tires look less catastrophic: you can no longer perform burnouts on dry pavement! Braking distances, however, show that further improvements are still achievable.
Dacia Spring: long, long recharges
One quirk of the 70-horsepower version is that it’s deprived of rapid charging, even as an option. And the onboard AC charger delivers only 7.4 kW. These characteristics seriously limit its usability, even though its overall consumption is very low and only slightly better than that of the 100-hp version. Don’t expect to gain range by picking the slower model…
Dacia Spring: the cheapest, but…
Indeed, in this base version, it remains the cheapest electric on the market, but it only qualifies for the small €400 grant, whereas its new cousin Renault Twingo benefits from a boosted CEE grant of up to €3,620, or more depending on circumstances. BYD Surf is, in fact, more expensive, but far more versatile. In short, the days when the Spring stood alone are long gone: competition is now tougher.
The Auto-Journal verdict: 2.5/5
Paradoxically, it was when it was most underdeveloped that the Spring was the most recommendable… due to the absence of competitors to pit against it. Since then, with the arrival of Chinese rivals and the Renault Twingo, its case becomes harder to defend, especially in this entry-level version without fast charging.
Dacia Spring: in measures
Find our test of the Dacia Spring in Auto-Journal issue no. 1214 dated 23/07/2026.
