Dacia Spring 2024: affordable EV thoroughly revamped
The Dacia Spring is now a beloved car on the AutoRAI.nl editorial staff. The compact EV looks likeable, drives fine for its size and offers great value for money. Still, we couldn’t help feeling that the Spring felt a bit dated in some respects. The rotary knobs for air conditioning, the aging infotainment system, the analog clocks behind the steering wheel, it was clear what Dacia had skimped on compared to the other models in the lineup. But that is about to change.
Once again the cheapest EV? – New DACIA SPRING ELECTRIC! (2024) – AutoRAI TV
Mini-Duster
For those who have seen the new Dacia Duster, the design of the new Dacia Spring will seem familiar. After all, the Duster was the standard-bearer of Dacia’s new family face, and the Spring is the next model in line to be designed in the new design language. This makes the compact EV look a lot more robust and sturdy than before. The LED daytime running lights have an all-new, Y-shaped design, and a high-gloss black strip containing the new Dacia logo visually connects the daytime running lights. As a result, the Spring looks wider than it actually is. At the rear, Dacia applies a similar trick with the taillights.
As with the previous model, the headlights of the new Spring are composed of two layers. Below the LED daytime running lights is the halogen low beam. Unfortunately, we still do not find LED reflector units there, even on the more expensive versions. That would have made Spring a more modern-looking appearance, though. Fortunately, the rest of the design changes more than make up for this. Other changes on the Spring: the roof racks have been dropped and there are two new colors: Sandstone and Rouge Brique.
Substantial interior modernization effort
Inside the new Dacia Spring, Dacia has perhaps struck an even bigger blow than on the exterior. The interior really looks a lot more modern than before. Let’s walk through the changes, starting with the 7-inch digital instrument cluster. That’s the same screen as in the larger Duster. It presents all necessary driver information in a clear, high-resolution manner. Very adjustable it is not, but that is also not what the average Dacia driver is waiting for.
The central 10-inch touchscreen also blew over from the Duster. That screen looks a lot nicer than the small, low-resolution screen that was there before and also works fast. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. Unfortunately: this screen is standard only from the Extreme trim level. As standard, Dacia supplies the Spring with a sort of phone holder in the center, which allows you to control certain vehicle functions such as the radio via the My Dacia app. We know this principle from the Volkswagen Up, among others.
YouClip: compose your own interior
The Dacia Spring benefits from another clever feature of the new Duster: YouClip. This is a mounting system that allows you to mount various accessories in different places in the interior. Consider an extra and lockable glove box, a phone holder with induction charger or a 3-in-1 cup holder, bag hook and portable lamp! Moreover, because the YouClip interior mounting points are the same for all Dacia models, you can interchange them between different cars. It’s a nice functionality that adds a bit of practical personalization. We are fans!
Now with vehicle-to-load
In terms of technology, the Dacia Spring is largely the same as before. You have two choices in terms of engines, a 45 hp or 65 hp variant. The battery is always 26.8 kWh, which means you should be able to get up to 220 km on one battery charge according to the WLTP test cycle. AC charging can be done up to a charging rate of 7 kW, which means your battery can be charged in about 4 hours if it is empty. Fast charging is optional for all trim levels and can be up to 30 kW. This is neither particularly fast nor has it gotten any faster than the previous version, but because the Spring has a small battery, you can still charge it from 20 to 80 percent in 45 minutes.
One advantage of the new Dacia Spring for 2024, however, is that from now on you can store the charging cable in a frunk! In the case of the Spring, this is a plastic tray mounted above the electric motor under the hood. That offers an additional 30 liters of cargo space, just enough so that, for example, you can store the charging cable. Pretty convenient, since the Dacia Spring’s charging point is still in the nose. But this is not all, because the new Spring has another added benefit: the ability to power small electrical appliances with the car! With a special V2L (vehicle-to-load) adapter, this is possible. Unfortunately: it is standard on the Extreme, but not available for the other versions.
Versions Dacia Spring 2024
That immediately bridges the gap to the various versions of the new Dacia Spring. These are them:
Essential: Only with 45 hp. These include several ADAS systems, including emergency brake assist for cyclists and pedestrians, the 7-inch digital instrument panel, cruise control, a height-adjustable steering wheel, power front side windows and rear parking sensors.
Expression: With 45 or 65 hp. Includes the equipment of the Essential, with the addition of manually controlled air conditioning and 15-inch wheels (for the 65-hp version)
Extreme: Only with 65 hp. Includes the equipment of the Expression, topped with copper-colored trim details, power door mirrors and power side windows all around, the Media Nav Live multimedia system and two-way V2L charger.
What will the new Dacia Spring cost?
In short, the Dacia Spring contains quite a few novelties and has become a lot more modern. But what will that cost? That is unfortunately not known at the time of writing, but Dacia promises that it will not be significantly more expensive than the outgoing model. Should that indeed be the case, the Dacia Spring actually becomes an even sharper offer than it already was. At least we won’t have to wait long for this, as the order books for the new Dacia Spring open in spring 2024. The market launch is scheduled for mid-summer this year.
