Video Summary
Here is the summary of the YouTube video:This is a review of the Dacia Spring, the cheapest brand new EV in the UK, starting at just £14,995. The car comes in three models: the 45, which has a 45 brake horsepower motor and is only available in Expression spec; the 65, which has a 65 horsepower motor and comes in the Expression spec or the Extreme spec. The model reviewed is the Extreme 65. There are several paint options for the car: a white, beige, red, and blue. The car has 15-inch steel wheels with wheel trims on them. The steel wheels keep costs down. Linglong tires are much maligned by many reviewers, who say they're not much good. This test will not analyze their tire performance, because it is a dry, sunny day.
There are some issues with wet grip on these tires.
The reviewer thinks the styling is fantastic and fits well into Dacia's current lineup, and the tiny SUV type styling stands well out, although the car is tiny. One must appreciate its size, it's comparable to a Citroen C1, Fiat 500. Even if it looks like a large car from pictures. Back seat legroom is lacking, and likely only small adults can fit comfortably. Boot space is decent and increases with the seats folded down. Charging is via a front-mounted charging port with Type 2 AC up to 7 kilowatts and CCS for DC charging up to 30 kilowatts. The 45 model lacks CCS.
Inside, the car is nice and well appointed for a budget car. The Extreme has a touch screen; Expression trims come with a phone mount instead, to use the phone as the infotainment system. The reviewer notes a dedicated app for this. As a big downside, preconditioning features are absent in touch screen-less versions. There are physical controls for heating and cooling. Electric window controls are on the dash instead of the doors. The reviewer believes this is due to cost-cutting measures.
The car weighs just under a ton (950kg) and does 0-60 in 13.7 seconds, perfectly respectable and makes it a viable car.
The car’s steering feels numb, with limited feedback, and the ride can be bouncy. There is a notable body roll, which is to be expected in cheaper vehicles.
For the car’s target market, it's perfectly competent.
For nearly £18,000, it’s a tough sale; at the moment pre-registered models can be found for £13,495.
The 45 horsepower model isn't worth buying, pay the extra to get the 65. It's also worth considering leasing the car, which has 0% interest, and as a last comment, the car is the most cost-efficient way to run an EV, especially if you charge it overnight, saving on the charging cost.
