Bordeaux, France. Mobile.bg team from the venue.
The Dacia Spring model is not new to the Bulgarian market. This is the cheapest electric car in our country and in Europe, but now the completely new generation is on the way, which was presented very recently. Now, the Romanians also organized the first dynamic tests of the model, which took place in France, and our team was at the scene. Here are our initial impressions of the new model.
The car, which will go on sale later this year, is new both inside and out. Compared to the previous Spring, the innovation impresses with a completely new body and interior style, while at the same time preserving the corporate style of the brand. The Spring is also available with the option of a more powerful electric motor - a new one that gives Spring buyers the option of more power than the previous 45 hp.
So far, Dacia has managed to sell 150,000 units in Europe of its only electric car, but now the Franco-Romanian brand, which is again looking to make a low-budget electric car, has bigger ambitions for the model. Car buyers in much of Europe say they would happily switch to electric cars if they were more affordable. Well, Dacia will give them just that.
The new model is essentially a radical update of the old one, keeping the same basic chassis but adding an all-new bodywork that gives the Spring a pleasingly chunky look. There are nice details like the front bumper and fenders made of pre-painted scratch-resistant plastic, and an under-the-grille unit that can be decorated with a variety of decals, including an intriguing-looking city street map motif. Also of interest is a nice design feature - the Spring has a single windscreen wiper that uses a massive arm so it can wash most of the windscreen in one go (although it doesn't cover any of the passenger side).
BG prices of the new Dacia Spring
Regardless of the additional tariffs for cars made in China (Spring is made in China), the new Vodel should arrive in Bulgaria with a price below 20,000 euros for the base model. Even the most refined Extreme version, with a 65 hp electric motor, should cost just a little more than €20,000, making it the cheapest electric car, both here and in Europe. More specifically, prices in our country start at BGN 38,990 including VAT, reaching BGN 41,490 including VAT, which is cheaper than the current version of Spring.
The standard specification will include new safety technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and driver attention monitoring, which Dacia has fitted to meet the latest legislation. The Extreme version, like the one we tested in France, will get copper-colored accents on the exterior and interior, 15-inch wheels (14-inch are standard on the base model), a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a camera for reverse gear and electrically adjustable mirrors.
Interior
If you're expecting the Dacia Spring to be (a) basic and (b) cheap-looking on the inside, prepare for a bit of a surprise. The dashboard has a simple design with a standard seven-inch digital instrument display behind the steering wheel and a large open shelf on the passenger side instead of a glove box. Below the center section is a large panel with physical switches (yay!) for the air conditioning and power front windows, as well as a pair of USB-C sockets. Below and to the rear there is a large open storage area and a traditional manual handbrake, plus a large drive selector switch.
Space is adequate, but if you're bigger you'll find the B-pillar comes up tight to your outer elbow, while the door is very close to your foot. Smaller and shorter drivers probably won't notice this shortcoming, but the good thing is that the steering wheel is now adjustable.
Rear space isn't brilliant, but by the standards of A-segment city car-style models, it's OK. Legroom is inadequate unless those in the front seats are willing to sacrifice some of their own space, and there are only two rear seats. The boot is surprisingly practical, though, with 305 liters of space, which expands to a useful 1,004 liters if you fold down the rear seat (which doesn't split). There is also another makeshift trunk. It's an optional plastic storage space that clips under the bonnet, giving you another handy 35-litre container.
And here the Romanians did not fail to integrate gadgets from the new “You-Clip“ of Dacia, which lets you choose from additional interior accessories ranging from cup holders and a glove box with a lid to a mobile phone holder that includes a wireless charging pad. It's a smart idea - all the accessories can simply be fixed in a chosen place if needed.
The onboard technology of the new Dacia Spring
The Spring is not a car that relies on cabin technology for its appeal. All models get a simple and straightforward digital instrument panel, which Dacia says is customizable, but what this really means is that you can choose from several options for the on-board computer. However, the screen has a clear and simple layout and is easy to use, so that's a bonus. The basic ten-inch touchscreen, available only on higher-spec models, also has clear menus and a decent built-in navigation function, but most owners will probably just turn on their phones and use their apps.
The Spring has cabin pre-conditioning and scheduled charging that can be controlled either via the touchscreen or smartphone app. When it comes to loading, Spring is - not for the first time - refreshingly simple. Most owners will not even need the so-called wall charging box, as the Spring charges from a household outlet in about 11 hours. Fast charging with direct current up to 30kW is optionally available.
Also new is V2L charging - or Vehicle to Load - which allows you to use Spring as a mobile power plant for any other devices. Dacia can provide an adapter with a simple socket that allows you to plug in a coffee machine, electric barbecue, laptop and the like when you're out and about. The possibilities for a picnic are unlimited.
How to drive Dacia Spring
With a maximum of 65 hp. and 113 Nm of torque, you shouldn't expect the new Dacia Spring to be the sportiest car in the world. A 0-100km/h time of 13.7 seconds seems to bear this out (although it is a significant improvement over the 19-second acceleration of the previous 45bhp version). But actually this is not the main thing, so "palim" Spring - using a real key that you actually turn in the ignition switch to wake up the battery and engine - and off we go on the roads of France.
Riding with these small-by-modern-day 15-inch rims, we understand that the Spring's ride is quite soft. A slight downside here is more body roll in corners, but for the most part the suspension offers a nice absorbing ride quality, as befits a car that's designed to spend most of its time around town.
At city speeds Spring feels at home. It has an excellent nine-metre turning radius, which means it can get in and out of most tight spaces in the city, and while rearward visibility is surprisingly limited (thanks to the rising glass line and relatively small rear window), the camera reversing eliminates this inconvenience. The steering is light and perfect for getting in and out of parking spaces and generally keeping things effortless around town.
But what about the suburban? Well, our test drive took place in and around Bordeaux and that was in the new Spring's favor as most of the country roads we drove on had a 80km/h limit. At that speed, the Spring just runs smoothly, using minimal power. And yet... the Spring is the lightest electric car currently on sale, and even this top-of-the-line version weighs in at just 984kg. So while it's not powerful, it doesn't need to be. And while it doesn't have big wheels and tires or a stiff suspension, it doesn't need them either. So, it's not a high-speed fun car per se, but it can actually be quite engaging and fun to drive.
What mileage does the Dacia Spring have?
The answer here depends a lot on how and where you drive. The official mileage of 225 km was confirmed quite well in this test because we were driving on mostly slow roads in soft conditions. In cold weather and driving on the highway, the mileage will undoubtedly be significantly lower, but this car is simply not designed for such transitions. Dacia's survey of its existing customers shows that they travel around 37 km each day, split into four journeys, and that they do almost all of their charging at home.
This is a city car for city people. During our test, the consumption was even lower than the official one. the on-board computer reported 12 kWh per 100 km, which pleasantly surprised us given the official figure from Dacia - 13.5 kWh/100 km. Bulgarian country roads, with their speed limits of 90 km/h, will be ideal for the new Dacia Spring. Only the highways will be a problem.
Is Dacia Spring safe?
Previously the Spring had just one Euro NCAP star, but there's a chance this new version - thanks to more standard safety kit - will do better. Dacia's relationship with crash tests is often rocky, with cars getting low scores, but that's because they don't include high-end electronic assistance systems as standard, and Dacia hits back by saying the cars are as safe as any remaining.
Reasons to buy Dacia Spring
Would you buy Spring just because it's cheap? It's very possible - this could be the car, or at least one of the cars, that finally breaks the argument that electric cars are expensive. It is this opinion that is responsible for the continued decline in sales of electric vehicles. And as for the Bulgarian prices, they are, as already mentioned, lower than before, and the car is perfectly capable of short to medium trips that people make. In addition, the ground clearance of 155 mm, which is ideal for all bumps, dirt roads and curbs.
Longer trips aren't for Spring, but this car doesn't aim for them. The Spring is an extremely pleasant city car. It's not just about how it drives, it's about being able to park it anywhere because it's electric and subcompact. There's a nice feeling you get from driving such a minimalist car, and the Spring does a very good job of being the perfect city car.
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