Dacia Spring, the electric city car that also performs well outside the city

MILAN - Don't label it as low cost: it has simply managed to maintain its exceptional quality/price ratio, transforming itself into a car capable of competing with rivals in its segment. In its second generation, the electric Dacia Spring has a richer equipment and a technological endowment capable of satisfying customer demands at a competitive price.

The sales data prove the above right, as it confirms itself as the best-selling electric city car at the moment, with the best cargo volume in its category, capable of being a good companion in the city and an excellent friend for trips out of town.

Compact and with a characterful aesthetic underlined by the front with decisive lines highlighted by a wide band that includes the light clusters, it has a minimal and welcoming passenger compartment that winks at the Duster with an outdoor vocation, with essential technological equipment. The instrumentation is digital and in the center of the dashboard there is a 10-inch display with the new infotainment compatible with Android and Apple CarPlay via wireless. Another novelty is the presence of the main Adas, such as the reading of speed limits, cruise control, speed limiter, lane keeping warning and lane departure warning.

The powertrain has remained unchanged, the front-wheel drive electric motor is the same as the old model, powered by a battery with 26.8 kWh and powers of 45 hp (33 kW) for the base and 65 hp (48 kW) for the other trims. The declared autonomy in the Wltp cycle is 230 km.

We tested the Dacia Spring 65 HP version starting from the center of Milan up to the Brianza farmhouses, alternating city streets with provincial ones. The first thing you appreciate is the brilliant acceleration that in the city is certainly a great help. In acceleration on long stretches of the ring road it is quite silent, the suspensions are soft and well calibrated able to absorb the bumps. During rapid lane changes, Dacia Spring moves well and with agility. The essential steering wheel is ergonomic and the gear selector placed low does not get in the way. Even out of town therefore the Spring handles itself well.

The front seats are comfortable, the view on the road is good and the view to the rear is given by the large rear window. The passengers during the journeys are more sacrificed, after all the remaining space is limited.

The boot is another strong point for the category, which goes beyond the traditional needs of city use, with a load capacity of 208 litres (which becomes 1,004 with the rear seats folded down), the best in the category.

As for consumption, we stayed below 10 kWh per 100 km. And it can be recharged with its 7 kW on-board charger and with 30 kW direct current charging.

There are two versions available, Expression and Extreme, with 45 and 65 HP. Prices start at 17,900 euros turnkey for the less powerful Expression.