Dacia Spring gets a facelift with slight technical modifications

The Dacia Spring has been given a facelift just in time for spring. Unfortunately, its facelift has only changed its appearance. Technically, we are still in the inexpensive entry-level class of electric mobility. But that should be enough for many people.

Dacia Spring with a new look and old technology

For some time now, Dacia has had the reputation of bringing the true “Volkswagen” to the roads. This is simply because the Romanian car manufacturer knows how to offer unbeatable value for money. The company achieves this by focusing on the essentials and leaving the frills behind. The best example of this is the Dacia Spring, which the Romanians have been producing since 2021. The manufacturer offers the most affordable all-electric subcompact car on the entire European market. The fact that the car has been a great success can be seen from the fact that a facelift is now following. It should be possible to order the new edition of the small electric car on the official website from spring 2024.

Delivery should then follow in the summer. But the pure sales figures are also a clear indication of the Spring’s success. In Germany, the Renault subsidiary was able to sell a total of 31,000 vehicles of this type. Given the comparatively low price, buyers should of course not expect a marvel of automotive engineering. This also applies to the new edition. Technically, not too much is said to have changed. According to Dacia, the 26.8 kWh battery has a range of up to 220 km. This means that the compact car is still anything but a range king. But it doesn’t want to be. Instead, the Dacia Spring is ideally suited to urban terrain. Its endurance is absolutely sufficient for daily commuting.

Commuters who have to make regular cross-country journeys and are looking for an electric car for the occasional vacation trip, on the other hand, should only buy one after careful consideration. The Dacia Spring does not offer fast charging as standard. This is only available for an extra charge. And even with this, only a maximum of 30 kW is possible, which is anything but up to date. According to the manufacturer, a charge from 20 to 80 percent should take 45 minutes. This can quickly turn the journey to your vacation paradise into a time-consuming trip to hell. That’s why the inexpensive all-electric subcompact car is better off doing its rounds in urban areas.

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There are a few technical changes after all

Dacia has not only initiated the facelift to give the Spring a fresh look. The Romanian car manufacturer is also reacting to the amendment of registration standards within Europe. These have become stricter and now make additional safety systems mandatory. One example is the automatic emergency brake assist. The basic version of the previous Spring did not have this on board, nor did it have a lane departure warning system, drowsiness and speed warning systems or traffic sign recognition. The new standard equipment is likely to increase the price a little, but Dacia should certainly be happy with that.

Finally, the adaptation to the new registration standards brings a decisive advantage. Now the all-electric Romanian can finally take part in the EuroNCAP crash test. This is where the safety of vehicles is assessed. So far, the Dacia Spring has only been awarded one star. But this is simply because the small electric car did not take part in the test. While the safety of the occupants still has to be tested, the ecological qualities of the electric car are already clear. In the so-called GreenNCAP, the Romanians were able to achieve the full score of five stars. The environmental friendliness honored here is primarily due to the low power consumption of just under 14.6 kWh/100 km.

A real space miracle

The visual changes may not be earth-shattering, but they still make the subcompact look more modern. This applies not only to the new logo emblazoned on the front. The headlights have also been slightly modified. As the electric subcompact is primarily used in urban areas anyway, Dacia has also removed the roof rails. This should not only save production costs, but also looks better. The Romanians have also slightly revised the interior fittings.

A 7-inch display now comes as standard. If you pay extra and opt for one of the better-equipped versions, you get a 10-inch display. Some comfort functions have also been added. For example, there is now an independent recuperation mode, which is designed to facilitate energy recovery when driving. What’s more, you can now use the app to call up status information about the car and even start the air conditioning remotely.

For many users, suitability for everyday use also means comfort. And this is definitely the case with the Dacia Spring. The trunk offers up to 1,004 liters of space when the rear seat is folded down. In the normal state, there are 308 liters, which is really remarkable in this vehicle size. The frunk is also really cool, which is unfortunately still not standard in some electric cars. The 35-liter compartment under the hood can hold a lot of things.

Price and availability

The basic formula for success is apparently not set to change. According to the manufacturer, the Dacia Spring will also be the cheapest electric car on the market as an update. What prices we are talking about is still written in the stars. But we should soon have some certainty. In view of the improved equipment and modernization, however, it would be really surprising if the Dacia Spring were to remain at a fighting price of no less than 12,750 euros (after deducting a 10,000 euro discount).