Test Drive - Dacia Spring

For years, the world of electric cars has belonged to the Teslas, the Taycans, and the kind of vehicles that require a second mortgage. But then, along came Dacia, offering Europeans something they could actually afford. Behold, the Dacia Spring – Europe’s cheapest electric car, priced roughly on par with a British bachelor party weekend in an Eastern European capital.

This tiny Dacia comes with a 26.8 kWh battery, giving you a range of about 220 km. Not much? No. But this car isn’t here to conquer the world; it’s here to get you from A to B. In a city. In good weather. From spring to autumn.

The first Spring rolled out just a few years ago, and now, they’ve already come up with a new one. Frankly, the first one was an exercise in patience.

Looking at the new Dacia Spring, you might think: "Oh, that’s actually quite cool!" The front end looks like a shrunken Duster – rugged, bold, and a bit cocky with its Y-shaped LED lights and the new logo screaming, "I’m small, but I mean business!" On photos, it looks like a real car. But park it next to a normal-sized vehicle, and you quickly realise it’s more of an ambitious scooter. Just 3.7 metres long and 1.5 metres tall – but, to be fair, perfect dimensions for zipping through tight city streets.

Yes, the wheel arches have plastic cladding, and there’s a tiny strip at the bottom of the doors desperately trying to convince you it’s about to conquer mountains and forests. But let’s be honest, the Spring is more at home in parking lots and weaving through narrow alleyways. It even has just one windshield wiper – a clever way for Dacia to save about fifty euros. These little quirks, like the non-adjustable steering column and the missing handle on the boot lid, prove that simplicity isn’t a compromise for Dacia – it’s a way of life. And yet, despite its miniature stature and bargain-basement pricing, the little Dacia manages to look more like a proper mini-SUV than a sad compromise. And that, my friends, is something!

The interior immediately reminds you that you are in a car that costs less than a decent wristwatch. But surprisingly – that’s not a bad thing. The update brought a completely new dashboard, with a 10-inch touchscreen in the middle, as if Dacia had a brief moment of generosity and thought, "Let’s give people at least one thing to feel proud of." There’s also a 7-inch digital display for the driver, which shows exactly what you need – speed and battery level. And honestly, what more do you need in this car?

The materials are, of course, plastic, but Dacia makes up for it with bright trim elements that show a cheap car doesn’t have to be dreary. Yes, the seats feel a bit like high-backed kitchen stools, and side support is more of a theoretical concept than an actual feature. But in city driving, they do the job. The front seats offer a surprising amount of shoulder and headroom, meaning that unless you’re a particularly large American tourist, you’ll fit just fine.

The rear seat, however, is about as practical as a shopping bag holder. If an average-sized driver sets their seat comfortably, the only thing that fits behind them is either a child or a very malnourished adult. The boot – now expanded to 308 litres – will at least swallow your groceries, and with the seats folded down, you get nearly 1,000 litres, which means, in theory, you can transport an IKEA flat-pack wardrobe. There’s even a "frunk" now – a tiny storage space under the bonnet, perfect for storing your charging cables or a secret stash of snacks.

Still, it has the essentials: automatic emergency braking, six airbags, climate control, and even smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. What’s missing? Modern luxuries like heated seats and cruise control. But hey, at least the steering wheel has buttons, even if some of them don’t actually do anything.

If you’re looking for an electric car to impress your mates at a drag race, I have bad news: the Dacia Spring is not your car. Depending on the market, its electric motor produces either a thrilling 45 horsepower or a slightly livelier 65. Which, to put it into perspective, is about the same as a kitchen blender. Yes, it gets to 100 km/h in about the same time as a pensioner with a shopping trolley – 14 seconds on a good day, 20 if it’s feeling lazy. But in the city, where it actually belongs, the Spring is unexpectedly sprightly – thanks to the instant torque from its electric motor, it zips away from traffic lights with surprising eagerness. Over 60 km/h, acceleration slows to a crawl, and at 125 km/h, the car simply gives up. You’re not taking this thing on the Autobahn – but why would you?

The Spring’s greatest strength is its hilariously low weight – just 970 kg, making it as nimble as a bicycle. You can park it in spaces you didn’t even know existed. The suspension is soft and comfortable, meaning city potholes won’t shake your teeth out, but it lacks stiffness, so in corners, it wobbles like a tiny boat.

The battery capacity is 27 kWh, which doesn’t sound impressive, but thanks to the low weight, it realistically delivers around 200 km in the city – more than enough if you’re not road-tripping daily. If you do run out of juice, you can charge it at home in about 5 hours, or get to 80% in 45 minutes with a fast charger. Bonus feature: Eco mode, which squeezes out an extra 10% of range when you’re running low.

And now, a party trick – the Spring can even function as a rolling power bank, which could save the day when camping or during a blackout. While the 2025 model has received some improvements, like a slightly more powerful motor and better aerodynamics, the price remains under €20,000 – meaning you get electric mobility for less than a used Golf.

If some automotive engineer once said, "Less is more," Dacia certainly took that to heart with safety features. Yes, it has ABS and ESP, because legally, they have to. Plus, you get six airbags – an unexpected luxury in such a small and affordable car.

But that’s where the good news ends. Yes, it has automatic emergency braking, which might save you from a minor fender bender at city speeds. But lane-keeping assist? That just means the car beeps at you when you drift, but doesn’t actually do anything about it. And then there’s the speed limiter – essentially cruise control’s dumber cousin, because you still have to keep your foot on the pedal. Why not just include proper cruise control? Only Dacia’s finance department knows.

Dacia Spring certainly divides opinions. Some love it, some think it’s a toy, and some still don’t understand how it made it to production. But one thing is clear: if you know what this car is meant for, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a tiny, practical urban runabout – small and easy to park anywhere. But if you think it’ll prove itself on the motorway, think again.

Spring’s prices start at around €19,000 without subsidies. For context, a new moped car – which can only go 40 km/h, sounds like hell, and vibrates so much that your dentist will become your best friend – costs about €15,000. So yes, the Spring is, at the very least, a car.

Ultimately, the Dacia Spring is a strange paradox. It’s Europe’s cheapest EV, yet one of the most expensive Dacias. Is it logical? No. But does it work? Yes. And if you just want a cheap, green, practical EV, then maybe – just maybe – this is exactly what you need. Just don’t expect it to be a motorway cruiser.