New Dacia Spring Looks Like A Mini Duster, Costs Just £15k

We now know how much the updated Dacia Spring will cost in the UK. The answer? Not much - it starts from just £14,995, with the base 'Expression' spec including a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, cruise control, air conditioning, rear parking sensors and front electric windows. Yep, the rear ones are of the old-fashioned hand-wound kind, but who cares? £15k is cheap these days for any kind of car, let alone one powered solely by electricity. 

The Spring has been around for a while, but we haven't had a chance to buy one in the UK until now. The version we're getting is more than just a slight facelift. Those looks have seen quite the overhaul to bring it more in line with Dacia’s current offerings, and there’s more than a slight hint of ‘Honey, I shrunk the Duster’ as a result. Go for it in Extreme trim (£15,995), and you’ll also get those somewhat perplexing newspaper-like decals on the front and rear bumpers, along with ‘highly crafted’ 15-inch wheel covers.

More changes have come inside, too. For those of us in the UK, the most exciting that the steering wheel can now be had on the correct side of the car. There’s a seven-inch digital instrument cluster on all versions, with higher-spec models also gaining a 10-inch central infotainment system.

A new five-point attachment system that will allow you to add your own accessories, too, allowing Dacia to cut costs further and give you a bit of customisation. Dubbed ‘YouClip’, this has seen action in the Duster already and allows for the likes of cup holders and lamps to be swapped in and out if you need them.

Boot space has been increased to 308 litres from 290 with the pre-facelift car despite no major mechanical changes, so we’re in the dark as to how Dacia has achieved that - although it should be praised nonetheless. A front boot is, perhaps oddly, available as an option - adding an extra 35 litres.

Hardware remains the same as before, with the choice of a 44bhp or 64bhp electric motor drawing power from a 26.8kWh battery. The 64bhp motor can be paired with the base Expression trim for £15,995, or Extreme for £16,995.

Both versions are expected to have a WLTP quoted figure ‘over’ 137 miles which may not sound a great deal, but Dacia says its customers travel an average of 23 miles per day so you can see the appeal. More important than the sheer range figure is a quoted efficiency of 4.25 miles per kWh.