► Dacia updates its cheap Spring EV
► New electric motors and chassis tweaks
► But its biggest problem hasn’t been fixed
Dacia has announced a raft of changes and improvements to its Spring city EV, designed to better improve usability while maintaining its low cost.
The Spring has become a real success for the brand and, since its launch in 2024, the UK has become the second biggest market for the dinky EV.
The current look, which arrived in 2024, has barely changed with the updated version. A set of new fairings around the bottom edges, as well as a very slight new spoiler are designed to improve aerodynamics are all you’re really getting in terms of different visuals.
It’s what’s underneath that’s changed much more significantly. The old 44 and 64bhp motors have been thrown out, with new 69 and 99bhp ones (badged Electric 70 and Electric 100 respectively) added to replace them. The 69bhp motor is tied to Expression trim, with the 99bhp one mated to the better-equipped Extreme.
Dacia points to the biggest benefit being a vast increase in 50-70mph acceleration – something of a weak point of the original car. ‘If your daily life is mainly just urban driving, the 70 will be perfectly fine,’ says Spring product leader, Herve Barriere. ‘If you have to take highways more often, the extra power [in the 100] will be interesting for those buyers.’
A new 24.3kWh LFP battery not only charges at a faster DC rate – 40kW (up from 30kW) – but has moved to a different location. It was originally placed over the rear axle, but is now placed under the floor between the wheels. ‘We are putting in an extra 50kg doing this,’ admits Gruden, ‘but it gives us better weight distribution and better stability on the road.’ The brakes have also been improved and, to help with handling, the Spring now features an anti-roll bar on the front axle – something it worryingly didn’t have before.
But there’s a glaring issue. If you’ve read our review for the Spring, you’ll note that we’re especially critical of its tyres: Linglong Eco Masters. They are hopeless, lacking grip in most scenarios that even include fairly low-strain ones like half-throttle acceleration in damp weather. When we questioned why the Spring was still on Linglong tyres even after media criticism, Barriere defended their use by simply saying ‘Linglong is a large and established tyre manufacturer,’ but little else.
Dacia says that, despite the power and handling upgrades, the price isn’t set to massively increase. For European markets, the brand promises the new Spring won’t stray above €20,000. We’ll have to wait for updated pricing in the UK, with orders expected to open here towards the end of 2025.
Jake has been an automotive journalist since 2015, joining CAR as Staff Writer in 2017. With a decade of car news and reviews writing under his belt, he became CAR's Deputy News Editor in 2020 and then News Editor in 2025. Jake's day-to-day role includes co-ordinating CAR's news content across its print, digital and social media channels. When he's not out interviewing an executive, driving a new car for review or on a photoshoot for a CAR feature, he's usually found geeking out on the latest video game, buying yet another pair of wildly-coloured trainers or figuring out where he can put another car-shaped Lego set in his already-full house.
By Jake Groves
CAR's news editor; gamer, trainer freak and serial Lego-ist