Dacia Spring 65 test: more watt in 2023, what

But the main thing is at the level of updating the electric motor. The Spring Extreme now has 65 horsepower (48 kW), 20 more than the classic version. A tour de force since while retaining the same engine base, it practically multiplied by two the number of rotation per minute (14,800 rpm against 8,500 rpm originally).

Essay – Dacia Spring Extreme 65, the Spring of Cities but not that !

After having sown the seed of its first 100% electric, Dacia harvested at the dawn of the 3rd spring of the Spring, a new variant of the small Romanian city car. A spring with a new identity and especially endowed with a higher power. A long-awaited evolution that will allow this genetically modified modified spring to get out of the city center.

The Outdoor leisure partner

Dacia turns an important page in its history. We must forget the manufacturer exclusively ” Low cost »Locked up in the world of cheap cars with an obsolete style. The Romanian manufacturer seeks to emancipate from its past by now associating its image with a state of mind more than a price. It is therefore the escape, adventure and outdoor leisure that will mark the future of Dacia. An approach that materializes with the introduction of a finish level called ” Extreme »Who heads all models.

Good to know: anticipate purchase and resale.

It is possible to know the resale or recovery value of your vehicle thanks to the Turbo auto rating of your Dacia Spring, the alternative to the Argus coast.

At Dacia La Puce des cities, is called Spring

Remember, two years ago, for the launch of the Spring, the Romanian manufacturer had inaugurated 100% electric technology. A techno that has become essential today, because it is necessary to admit, that it is best suited to use in an urban environment.

But now, the cheapest electric car on the market (its main quality) had some shortcomings. Insufficient power, nonexistent resumes, lack of versatility. In short, everything to make it prisoner of agglomerations.

At Dacia the flea of ​​”cities and fields” is called Spring Extreme

The Romanian manufacturer takes advantage of the introduction of the extreme finish to seriously update the small city car of 3m73 long. The style is distinctive with the adoption of both the new Signed DC and the Dacia name displayed in all “copper” letters on the tailgate. A color that is also found in the front shield and mirrors.

The unpublished version ” Extreme »Also stands out for a choice of 6 bodywork shades against only 2 for the essential entry -level version.

But the main thing is at the level of updating the electric motor. The Spring Extreme now has 65 horsepower (48 kW), 20 more than the classic version. A tour de force since while retaining the same engine base, it practically multiplied by two the number of rotation per minute (14,800 rpm against 8,500 rpm originally).

And to resolve the difficult equation of converting the additional 6,300 rpm to torque to the wheel, the engineers are added an engine output reduction to make the Spring 65 more reactive.

Dacia Spring Extreme, more powerful, but still the cheapest – Turbo test of 05/28/2023

And the prints behind the wheel as well as the figures reconcile us definitively with the electric Dacia. 0 to 100 is made in 13.7 seconds against 19.1 seconds, a gain of 28 %. A giant leap for the Romanian chip.

But the most significant result concerns the exercise of 80 to 120 km/h. An exercise that best simulates insertion on a fast track (Achilles heel of Spring 45). The proof, before, it took more than 26 seconds, an eternity, to reach the highest brand (120km/h) while the extreme Spring requires half less time (13.5 seconds). This time, will completely uninvail the new owners of the 100% extreme electric Dacia who will be able to consider getting out of the city more serenely.

After 2 years of life, Dacia with this “extreme” version corrects the main youth defect of the Spring … Namely, making an exclusive city car, a small car capable of all electric to easily explore the peri-urban areas.

Dacia Spring 65 test: more watt in 2023, what ?

The Dacia Spring, the cheapest electric cars, adopts a motorization increased to 65 hp and some technical developments. Our opinion behind the wheel.

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On paper, there is nothing to come. No, Spring has not turned into a monster. Nor in sports. Not even on the road. But, casually, this “2 horses” (it’s its tax power) can now see its engine go from 45 to 65 hp, an increase of more than 40 %.
Some will say that the basic version was enough, and we will not contradict them; For urban use, spring as we knew it so far showed enough pep in the green light.
But the new version guarantees more versatility at This Romanian produced in China, with more frank accelerations, much more extension and much better times.
Numbers ? The time to go from 0 to 100 km/h falls from 19.1 to 13.7 seconds with this motorization. In terms of recovery, it’s better too: The 80 to 120 km/h drops from 26.6 to 13.5 seconds. Overtising slow vehicles can be established more serenely.
Only top speed stagnates, still restrained at 125 km/h. But behind the wheel of a spring, it’s already a great look. Because the cheapest electric city car on the market has not corrected its flaws, even allowing itself to keep its unworthy linglong tires, precarious adhesion on dry, and not found on the wet.

This is always the main defect of this Dacia which, in the rain and at sustained speed, can Relax unstable and very hesitant, abnormally delicate for a modern car. Fortunately for her, her anti -slip system watches over the grain.
At Dacia, no doubt to reassure journalists present at these tests, it is also recalled that, according to a study, the Spring sold so far travel on average only 31 kilometers per day, and circulate at an average speed of 26 km /h. There is no indication, however, if the owners use this vehicle when it rains ..
The smallest of the Dacia, however, took advantage of the spring to replace – throughout the range – its shock absorbers and adopt a new management of the management.
The first keep the cash movements better and benefit the CAP outfit, but are always a bit too flexible on the road, and a little dry in town. Amortization is now correct, nothing more, but it is already progress.
As for management, it offers more firmness in the middle point, thus reducing the tiny but constant corrections that the Spring required so far in a straight line. It is still not perfect, with in particular an insufficient reminder, but the evolution is notable.
In summary, these various changes all prove to be welcome. But the power enhanced, although as appreciable, remains rather paradoxical. Because with its road services always too limited, A spring in its place remains a spring in town.
There, always very handy, narrow, short and light, the chip likes well. Its silence and discretion would even (almost) forget its aspects without charm, its exotic origins, its basic presentation and its materials which flower economy.

However, the equipment is serious, with A touch screen and a GPS, air conditioning, bluetooth or a rear view camera.
And externally, this Spring presents rather well in this new extreme finish, the only one proposed with this engine, integrating here a slate blue shade (€ 550) as well as dark rims and touches of copper brown color, delivered in series.
Its price, set at € 22,850, In fact an attractive proposal, to “only” € 750 more than the Spring Expression of 45 CH which however retains a definite interest.
Remains to be composed with a theoretical autonomy of 220 kilometers (305 km on the urban cycle), in perfect adequacy with the template of this city car, offered by the battery of 26.8 kWh of useful capacity, which weighs 188 kg.
For home recharging, as the owners’ three-quarters do (according to Dacia), she is full of electrons in a big hours for a good old garage, and in one night for a reinforced socket.
So understand that the installation of a wallbox at home is not even essential, depending on the use made of the Spring.
But for longer journeys, an option at € 600 allows access to a 30 kW DC on -board charger which, with a compatible cable (250 €) and on a quick terminal, authorizes a recharge in one hour, to go from 0 to 80 % autonomy.

Dacia Spring 65 test – Our opinion:

Little Romanian retains its qualities, but also its big faults. While remaining accessible, this engine offers the Spring a second welcome welcome.
Dacia Spring 65: What’s new under the hood ?
To go from 33 to 48 kW, the Spring permanent magnet synchronous machine has undergone various modifications, including an increase in the number of coils on the stator.

• Performance in net progress
• Price/equipment ratio always enticing
• Handling and ease of use

• Unworthy tires
• Road behavior
• Finishing and presentation

Technical sheet (Dacia Spring Electric 65)

• From € 22,300
• Consumption during the test (kWh/100 km): 14.7
• WLTP mixed consumption (kWh/100 km): 14.5
• CO₂(g/km)/bonus: 0/5,000 €
• Tax power: 2 CVs
• Country of manufacture: China
• Guarantee: 3 years/100,000 km
• Battery warranty: 8 years/120,000 km
• Engine: Synchronous with permanent magnet
• Transmission: traction, unique ratio
• Power (KW/CH): 48/65
• Couple (nm): 113
• Battery: lithium-ion, 26.8 kWh capacity
• Loading time :
  • Domestic worker 2.3 kW: 1:30 p.m
  • Reinforced socket 3.7 kW: 8:30 am
  • Wallbox 7.4 kW: 4:50
  • Fast (30 kW, option): 1h (0 to 80 %)

  Dacia Spring: the range

  • Electric, 33 to 48 kW, from € 20,800 to € 22,300

  Dacia Spring 65: the options offered

  • Enterprise wheel (€ 200)
  • DC charger 30 kW (€ 600)
  • 3 type 2 mode cable (250 €)

  Dacia Spring 65: the main competitors

  • Renault Twingo E-Tech, Electric 81 hp, from € 25,250
  • Leapmotor T03, electric 109 hp, from € 25,990
  • Volkswagen ID. 2all, not yet marketed, less than 25,000 €

  Test of the Dacia Spring Extreme: a low cost electric at 22,000 euros, is it serious ?

  

  

  The Dacia Spring arrives in a more powerful, more neat and skilfully modified version to correct its original flaws. But these changes are accompanied by an even higher price. Is the cheapest electricity always a good deal ?

  Despite a price increase of almost 4,000 euros since its launch, the Dacia Spring remains the cheapest electric car on the market. This price increase -it is now offered at 20,800 euros -does not seem to cool potential buyers since the Dacia city car is the best -selling electric car in France. With this observation, the Romanian brand, owned by Renault, has opted for a rise embodied by the arrival of a new version, “Extreme”, of its small electric chip. This is displayed at 1,500 euros more, at a starting rate of 22,300 euros and promises, in addition to a better quality of finish, to correct the driving defects of the initial version. What is this Dacia Spring Extreme 65 is really worth, she deserves its price ?

  

  What changes on the “news” Dacia Spring ?

  In order to judge the relevance of this new version, it is advisable to make an inventory of its various changes. The extreme 65 version is already distinguished by its appearance. Two new colors (slate blue and cedar green), adorned with copper finishes, symbolize the rise.

  Despite these pretty graphic additions, most of the new Spring is elsewhere, under the hood. Indeed, Dacia’s electric city car opts for a “new” engine that makes its power from 45 hp to 65 hp pass. This technical modification to which we will come back in detail is supposed to provide the Spring with better road behavior, especially when it exceeds 80 km/h, which was one of its big weak points so far.

  

  A more careful presentation, but no rise

  These touches of “copper brown” found on the roof bars, mirror hulls, side protections or on the new Dacia logo, which extends on the tailgate, bring a certain character to the city car.

  They are also found, carefully scattered inside the vehicle. On the navigation block, the outline of the aerators or the drawing of the doors. But these copper elements are only a hideout as the whole sounds the hollow and rigid plastic already seen on the first version. Despite appearances, Dacia is still satisfied with the bare minimum and an interior that begins damn to date. It must be said that Spring is an adaptation of a low cost vehicle, produced in China, intended for the Asian market, in the previous decade. That is to say if the Spring leaves with a certain handicap … This recipe based on inexpensive ingredients has however managed to attract more than 100,000 customers in Europe, including 43,000 in France, you will tell us. Admittedly, but it should be recalled that at the time the price of the electric city car was 16,990 euros, excluding bonuses, or almost 7,000 euros cheaper.

  

  In terms of finish, apart from these copper keys, nothing changes. The embedded system seems to come from a distant past and owe its salvation only to compatibility Carplay and Android Auto. Besides, the integration of the USB port is still as lunar, forcing the wire of the smartphone to hang in the middle of the screen. Of course, we do not expect the cheapest of electric cars comparable to German sedans, but when we pretend to go upmarket, you need a minimum of seriousness. But should we persist in judging the finishes of the Dacia electric cost, when the main contribution of the extreme version is under the hood ?

  More powerful, but at what price ?

  The raison d’être of this extreme version would be its new 65 hp engine. New, really ? Dacia’s very admission, it is the same engine that equipped the first version of the Spring and which suffered some well -felt touch -ups to offer a surplus of power. It is not a sleight of hand, but an evolution, the synchronous to loving engine having been muscular to turn at more than 14,000 rpm against 8,000 rpm before.

  

  How did Dacia come into this result ? Concretely, the brand’s engineers have strengthened the coils around the stator and endowed it with a larger reduction. The whole weighs 5 kg more, but increases the maximum rotation diet, which offers more velocity to the Spring. Admittedly, its maximum speed is still limited to 125 km/h, but now 0 to 100 km/h is fell in 13.7 seconds, an honest value, especially compared to the 19.1 seconds whose Spring needed before this engine touch -up.

  But what Dacia has more difficulty admitting is that this 65 hp engine does not only have happy consequences on the city’s performance. The former are purely accounting. First there is a drop in the couple (from 125 Nm to 113 nm), but also a reduction in autonomy (220 km in WLTP approval, against 230 km before).

  Dacia’s daring calculation

  These reduction in minimal performance is theoretical, the main concern for this new engine is more linked to the use that could be made of Spring. Explanations:

  The more powerful engine of the Spring in fact increases the consumption of the vehicle. As part of the WLTP approval, this less good autonomy is after all limited to 10 km. But in real life, in everyday use, this consumption is essentially linked to driving speed. If at low speed, the yields of the two motor blocks are quite similar, the situation changes to higher speed where the 65 hp engine consumes much more than its predecessor of 45. Concretely, the more you drive on rapid portions, national roads, but above all highways, the more the new Spring will tend to overconsom in relation to the original Spring.

  

  Dacia is aware of this, but for the entry -level brand of Renault, it is a necessary compromise which is also encouraged by the way in which Spring users lead their little electric. Indeed, the manufacturer is based on the data collected from the Spring currently in circulation to justify this potentially perilous choice for autonomy.
  According to Dacia, Spring users travel 31 km/day at an average speed of 26 km/h. In other words, the dacia city car rarely serves to offer strong sensations on the road. Its use is essentially city. It is this data that allows Dacia to try this particularly daring bet: entrust drivers with a more powerful engine, whose velocity will only be used in its least delicious phases. The calculation seems risky and could clearly change the experience in Spring according to the type of user. In other words, if your daily itinerary is mainly a highway, you will have to greatly nuance the autonomy values ​​of the Dacia Spring Extreme.

  Improved road behavior, perdition tires

  Praised for its rather interesting quality/price ratio, the first Spring of the name had been strongly criticized for its handling and its fairly erratic behavior, especially on the highway. To improve this aspect, the extreme spring does not only put a more powerful engine. Other developments, which will also be brought to the other versions of the city car, are there. These are mainly calibration in the management and depreciation.

  Concretely, during our test, we noticed a slight improvement in the behavior of the Spring. The small chip no longer gives the feeling of being in perdition on the highway, or even to to toil when it is necessary to make a recovery at 80 km/h. In this sense, it adopts a behavior more worthy of electric. Nevertheless, despite the corrections made to its management, the progress is quite limited on the handling. A slightly tight turn and the ESP immediately sets in motion … for a correction not always happy. Change in terms of suspension is undoubtedly real, but it does not make miracles and the Spring always seems to float somewhat when turns. The reason ? It mainly lies in its poor quality tires. The concern is known and documented in Dacia who would actively seek an alternative. Only concern according to the manufacturer: “There are few premium 14 inch tires currently on the market”. Given the volume of sales made by Dacia on this model, it is a safe bet that a manufacturer of tires seizes the question.

  Ultimately, progress is real in terms of road behavior, but limited. The Spring gives the impression of being a safer car to drive, but it is anything but a guarantee of obtaining a second star in the Euroncap test. Above all, with its speed limit at 125 km/h and a withdrawal torque, it appears in front of a Twingo e-tech, much more dynamic. A change of tires could possibly improve its performance, but it will not transcend Dacia city car.

  Autonomy: soft in town, dizzying on the highway

  Our test loop in the vicinity of Vienna, Austria, allowed us to confirm the great variation of the engine in terms of consumption. Indeed, on the motorway parts, at high speed on the secondary roads, our consumption exceeded 18 kWh/100 km. In this configuration, the autonomy of the Spring can therefore descend under 150 km.

  

  On the other hand, once in town or at lower pace, consumption drops in a dizzying way. The weight contained of the spring, these 14 -inch small wheels and its reduced size then become its main weapons to lower the gauge to less than 11 kWh/100. In the end, on our test journey of a hundred kilometers, very mostly urban, average consumption stabilized at 12.4 kWh/100 km, which tends to confirm what looks like an obviousness: as extreme or -I, Spring remains an urban vehicle.

  

  On the recharging side, there is no change to report on this new finish. Dacia city car can accept up to 7 kW on alternating current. Quick recharging is limited to 30 kW, but is only available as an option. To recharge the Spring a little faster, it will be necessary to pay 600 euros more for the Combo charger and 250 euros for a type 2 cable compatible with a wallbox. Admittedly, most Spring owners fill up on their 26.8 kWh on a classic socket, at home, but again, we can only be surprised at the price of the option for those who would like to go to the high speed.

  The Dacia Spring Extreme in the face of competition

  As for its previous version limited to 45 hp, the new Dacia Spring benefits from a hegemonic position. She is simply without competitors. Nevertheless, by dint of inflating its price, the Romanian electric city car could end up burning the wings. Indeed, at at least 2,300 euros, it is dangerously close to the Renault Twingo E-Tech (25,200 euros), otherwise better equipped.

  

  Finally, she will also have to face, in the coming days, when a Chinese city dweller arrives, the Leapmotor T03, more efficient and better finished, also, and which only requires 3,000 euros more. Even the MG4 in its entry -level version at 29,990 euros could be envisaged for a buyer with additional margin. In other words, the Spring has certainly improved slightly in this new version, but the price difference with the other “cheap electric cars”, has considerably reduced.

  Test verdict:

  The Dacia Spring is progressing, but it does not make a miracle. Despite its weight more than 975 kg and a nice sleight of hand which allows its engine to go from 45 hp to 65 hp, it struggles to justify such a high price. At 22,300 euros at least, it is still the cheapest electric on the market, but the gap has been considerably reduced with slightly more expensive, but better cars in all points. However, if your main criterion remains the price, it is clear that once again Dacia has no competition and that in this capacity the purchase of an extreme Spring can be understood, at least for the moment. The situation could change if the city car made in China is no longer eligible for the ecological bonus in 2024, which hangs it in the nose.