Summary
Now the cheapest all-electric offering on the British market, the Dacia Spring is a small battery-powered family car and the first in a wave of new budget-end EVs that are likely to draw more interest to the electric car market.
The Spring has been warmly received by the British motoring media thus far, which review scores ranging from good to excellent. “Look, it’s basic and it’s not fast, but we need this car”, Electrifying.com’s Ginny Buckley argues, pointing to the car’s unparalleled pricing, while Car’s Ted Welford praises the Dacia for its “impressive interior and generous equipment” which “defy its price”.
Besides battery range and driving dynamics concerns, the Spring does have one serious drawback that reviewers continually note however – its safety credentials. The compact EV has been given a poor one-star safety rating from crash testers Euro NCAP. “It is designed, purely and simply, to be as little an amount of electric car as you can get away with”, explains Neil Briscoe of The Sunday Times. “In that mission, it has succeeded superbly.”
As of October 2024, the Dacia Spring holds a New Car Expert Rating of D with a score of 58%. While reviewers have given the small family car favourable review scores, the Spring’s overall rating is heavily hindered by its poor Euro NCAP safety rating.
Spring highlights
- Unparalleled EV pricing
- Reasonable battery range considering price
- Efficient and surprisingly practical
Spring lowlights
- Abysmal Euro NCAP safety rating
- Underpowered entry-level drivetrain
- Cramped rear seating
Key specifications
Body style: Small hatchback
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £14,995 on-road
Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Decent on-road manners, excellent manoeuvrability and low running costs should still give the baby Dacia strong appeal, particularly for those after a cheap runabout or a second car.”
Author: John McIlroy
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Dacia’s Spring budget electric vehicle is compact, likeable and for an EV very, very affordable.”
Author: Matt Prior
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Spring’s impressive interior and generous equipment defy its price, but it’s a slight shame the same can’t be said for the overarching driving manners and safety.”
Author: Ted Welford
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Dacia Spring is the UK’s cheapest electric supermini, with a decent driving range and performance but also some compromises in safety and interior quality.”
Author: Andy Goodwin
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Model reviewed: Range overview
“The Dacia Spring EV wants to shake up the electric car market with its low low price tag, though a limited range and lack of sophistication might put you off.”
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Dacia Spring nails its brief as a low-cost, no-frills EV, but the competition is gradually closing in.”
Author: Shane Wilkinson
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Look, it’s basic and it’s not fast, but we need this car. We need properly affordable electric cars, and I think you’ll be with me on saying that I’ll happily take more basic specification and slightly cramped rear seats to get it.”
Author: Ginny Buckley
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.6 / 10
“Is it the best small EV? No, probably not. A Citroen e-C3 is a much more rounded package in terms of range, driving and space, but is at least £5,000 more expensive. At this price point, that’s a huge price difference.”
Author: Ted Welford
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It is designed, purely and simply, to be as little an amount of electric car as you can get away with. In that mission, it has succeeded superbly. There is perhaps a chance, a small chance, that like its simple and prosaic ignition key the affordable Spring could itself be the key to unlocking broader electric car acceptance.”
Author: Neil Briscoe
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Dacia’s entry EV is everything you want: low cost, low weight, low impact, but lots of fun.”
Author: Sam Burnett
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“If you live in a city and you want a brand-new electric car that is capable of getting you from door to door in relative comfort, the Spring is well worth considering.”
Author: Neil Winn
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Adult protection: 49%
Child protection: 56%
Vulnerable road users: 39%
Safety assist: 32%
Assessed back in 2021, the Dacia Spring was awarded a rather abysmal one-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, the safety body arguing that the electric crossover comes with a higher risk of injury to occupants and pedestrians than many rivals in this compact sector.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
Model tested: 33kW Electric FWD Automatic
Clean Air Index: 10 / 10
Energy Efficiency Index: 9.8 / 10
Greenhouse Gas Index: 10 / 10
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of October 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Dacia Spring to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Spring, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 140 miles | C | 140 – 140 miles | C – C |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 5.2 m/KWh | A | 5.2 – 5.2 m/KWh | A – A |
The Dacia Spring is a very affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
While the car’s average battery range of 140 miles is lower than your average electric car, this is to be expected considering the car’s size and budget-end pricing. It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is also excellent – it’s actually more efficient than many more expensive electric cars.
We currently have no insurance of maintenance cost data to display. Check back soon for a more complete picture of the Spring’s running costs.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Dacia Spring has received.
2021
- News UK Motor Awards – Best Value Car
- Top Gear Awards – EV Deal of the Century
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Dacia Spring, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
BYD Dolphin | Citroën ë-C3 | Fiat 500 Electric | GWM Ora 03 | Honda e | Hyundai Kona Electric | Jeep Avenger | Kia Soul EV | Mini Cooper Electric | Peugeot e-208 | Skoda Elroq | Vauxhall Corsa Electric
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Dacia Spring at The Car Expert
Buy a Dacia Spring
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