Dacia Spring 100 hp review: more confidence on the motorway

Now with 100 hp, the Dacia Spring can tackle a stretch of motorway or an overtake with confidence.

---

Almost everything has already been said about the Dacia Spring: it is a small, affordable electric car that handles the daily commute honestly and effectively.

For many drivers, it has been their entry point into fully electric motoring, not least because it has remained, year after year, the cheapest electric car on sale in Portugal.

It is therefore hardly surprising that it has sold almost 200,000 units in Europe since its launch in 2021. Whether or not you like the concept, the Spring is a genuine success story.

Yet times have changed, as have customers’ expectations. In 2021, the Spring stood alone among new electric cars costing less than €20,000; that is no longer the case. And that is before considering the increasingly broad and appealing used-car market.

Dacia knows this as well as anyone, which is why it gave the model a substantial update in 2024: a fresh exterior look, a transformed cabin, greater ride comfort and an even lower price. You can see it in detail, inside and out, in this video:

That move breathed new life into the model, with an immediate impact on sales. As well as leading its European segment, the Spring became Portugal’s best-selling electric car among private buyers in 2025, recording 715 registrations - 220% more than in 2024.

But the Romanian brand wants more. It has unveiled what could be the Spring’s final update, before it is soon joined by another small electric car based on its Renault sister brand’s Twingo.

More power, a new battery, an updated platform and, for the first time, an anti-roll bar. On paper, it has everything required to become the best Spring yet. But is that really the case? We drove it to find out.

Better in (almost) every respect

Although it is presented as only an annual update, the 2026 Dacia Spring has made several advances. Many of them are significant, as you will soon see.

First, it introduces two new electric motors: one producing 52 kW (71 hp) and another with 75 kW (102 hp). They deliver 20% more torque - 137 Nm in total - between 80 km/h and 120 km/h.

That might not sound like much, but the original Spring managed no more than 33 kW (45 hp), meaning power has more than doubled. That matters. I know 100 hp will not impress everyone, but the Spring weighs little more than a tin of tuna at 1069 kg, so the extra output makes a genuine difference.

It is livelier, safer and more versatile. This power increase finally opens the door to journeys beyond the city for the Spring, which is no longer intimidated by a motorway section or a more demanding overtaking manoeuvre. In urban traffic, meanwhile, it feels more nimble than ever.

The improvement I welcome most, however, is the addition of an anti-roll bar, fitted as standard on every version. It comes alongside revised spring and damper settings, plus improved brake-system assistance.

The result is a more stable and better-controlled car through corners, with less body roll, making it feel more natural, safer and more predictable to drive.

Dacia Spring range remains an issue

Another major change concerns the completely new battery. Previously, it used NMC chemistry (nickel, manganese, magnesium) and had a 26.8 kWh capacity; it is now an LFP unit (lithium iron phosphate) with “just” 24.3 kWh.

Even with this reduction in capacity, the approved WLTP range of the two versions is virtually unchanged: 225 km for the new Spring, compared with 228 km for the previous model. This is explained by its claimed consumption of only 12.4 kWh/100 km.

That said, if Dacia continues to avoid increasing battery capacity - and has actually reduced it in this instance - it will be difficult to extract more kilometres. The range is limited. While the car is now more versatile and more capable, it remains an electric vehicle with a restricted operating radius.

Take the Renault Twingo, for example: thanks to its 27.5 kWh LFP battery, it can travel up to 263 km on a single charge.

What about charging?

There have been improvements here too, although they are modest. Direct-current (DC) charging remains optional, as before, but the maximum charging power has risen from 30 kW to 40 kW, allowing a 20% to 80% charge in 29 minutes.

For alternating-current (AC) charging, the limit remains 7 kW, as on the previous Spring. However, thanks to the management of the new LFP battery, Dacia has cut 40 minutes from the 20% to 100% charging time: it now takes 3h20 min.

Below €20,000

The Dacia Spring is better and more comprehensively equipped than ever. Of that, I have no doubt. But it still has the limitations typical of an A-segment city car, whether electric or combustion-powered.

In the Spring’s case, its biggest shortcoming is ultimately its range - probably its greatest “Achilles’ heel” - especially for anyone without another car at home.

As in so many situations, it all comes down to expectations. If you want an electric car capable of covering several hundred kilometres each week, the Spring is unlikely to be the answer.

On the other hand, if you want a fully electric car to deal with the 30–40 km trip to work, can charge at home and do not need much space, this Dacia will always be worth considering.

It is true that this new 100 hp version does not yet have a confirmed price for Portugal - orders only open at the end of the month - but we already know it will cost less than €20,000.

Whereas that price point was once a strength, it could now make life harder for the Spring, because it is also where one of the most talked-about models in this segment, its Renault Twingo “cousin”, is positioned.

I have not driven it yet, but I did see it in person in Paris, and it has a “wow factor” that the Spring lacks. But make up your own mind:

Ultimately, I know it will almost always come down to personal taste. Yet, knowing that many customers arrive in the A-segment because of budget constraints, I think the Twingo has the advantage: it is more desirable, more fun and more cool. Even if the Spring still offers an almost unbeatable price/quality/functionality balance in the new electric-car market.

Verdict