Overview

Ever since Dacia launched in the UK more than a decade ago, value for money and low pricing have been central to its appeal and success. The Sandero supermini has been almost consistently one of the cheapest new cars ever since with the Duster SUV and Jogger MPV following closely behind.

Dacia is now looking to do the same with electric cars and is introducing the Spring as the cheapest new EV you can buy in the UK. Priced from just £14,995, it’s hardly any more expensive than the cheapest new petrol cars and undercuts other low-price electric cars – such as the Fiat 500e and new Citroen e-C3 – by more than £6,000. It’s therefore one of the most important new cars to launch in 2024. 

The Dacia Spring has been sold in Europe since 2021 but only as part of a new facelift for 2024 has the decision been made to convert it to right-hand-drive and sell it in the UK.

The Dacia Spring is still a full-size car with room for four (at a push) and a useful boot, and yet still with an interior with plenty of tech and creature comforts. In fact, much of the interior, and exterior design as a whole, is borrowed from the new Dacia Duster, which is currently the firm’s flagship model. 

It’s a car primarily aimed at those doing local miles, with the Spring’s smaller battery equating to a claimed 140-mile range. That’s not a lot but Dacia cites research from its existing Spring drivers that says they’re driven on average just 23 miles per day. The smaller battery also can be charged overnight with a standard three-pin plug, without the need to install a quicker wallbox at home. 

There are two electric powertrains available and two trim levels. Standard equipment on the Expression trim includes rear parking sensors, air conditioning and a digital instrument cluster. Upgrade to the top-spec Extreme version and this brings a large 10.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as more eye-catching trim courtesy of some copper trim and a useful reversing camera. 

It’s built in China to help keep costs down, with the Spring being essentially a rebadged version of a small Renault city car called the City-ZE. 

This is our first taste of the heavily upgraded Dacia Spring ahead of its arrival in the UK in October 2024. You can read more about how we test cars at Parkers elsewhere. 

For now, click through the next few pages to read everything you need to know about the new Dacia Spring, including its practicality, how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive – and whether we recommend buying one.