The analogue handbrake is the winner for me. Why oh why do other manufacturers insist on electronic parking brakes. Just expensive and more to go wrong. Great presentation as always.😊
They all seem to think they need to copy Tesla, they don't. I want a good well positioned phone holder with charger, that covers my music, hands free and sat nav needs, the rest I want parts bin physical switches in sensible places. I don't even like all the buttons on the steering wheel, phones have voice assistants. Put the money where it will be useful, not in gimmicks that will fail and cost more to repair when they go wrong. I drove a Dacia Logan for years, a 2006, it had 1 onboard computer, the Renault dealer wanted 200 quid to supply, reprogram and replace it. Parts and labour. That is how to do cars.
Switches are simple and means yards of copper wire. Touchscreen is what the top spec cars have. Plus they have software that needs updating, even if the hardware works perfectly. So there’s the future expensive upgrades already built in…..
I want a balance personally. And honestly in 2024 what I think we should have is a basic system, and the option of ripping the radio out, and replacing it with whatever we want from the third party market. Using your phone seems like a good basic level thing. Having a panel like an old radio that any mechanic can remove, and replace with your choice of a 10-15 inch screen you bought after market, would seem like the best future for basic cars. I wouldn't use a phone instead of a tablet screen, or a control on a tablet that just needs to be a physical button, but I'd like to be able to save the money up front, while still being able to easily upgrade in the future. By definition, the car is going to last a lot longer than the tablets they build into it as those will get out of date a lot faster than a battery, door, steering wheel or button. Offering all these trims increases the price and that's not good for a budget concept.
Much better review than the recent one from Carwow. You actually recognise the car for what it's trying to achieve. We absolutely need more of this sort of thing on the market. Not everyone needs a 3 ton monster with a 0-60 of 4 seconds
Carwow seems more interested in entertainment than anything else. Their definition of "entertainment" seems to be being really juvenile and crude, interrupted by high-pitched laughter from the host.
Only found Carwow recently. They feature really nice machines and have a huge sub base, but I just didn't enjoy it personally. He can be really insightful but it's just a bit cringeworthy all round. It's like if Wish made a high budget car show.
CarWow is up there with AutoAlex (and now Autotrader) these days really. Not bad just a bit worthless for reviews and car news. They are entertainment channels@@zoid9969
Give it time, and the Morris Marina door handles will make get another comeback... How many people weren't expecting to see them on early LandRover Discovery's.?
I drive a Nissan NV400 (Rebadged Renault Master) and they have these volume controls. I actually love them. They're way better than buttons on the steering wheel I find. I hope they continue to hold out with them, they just work and feel better than shifting your hand/thumb around on the face of the steering wheel.
Jonny continues to be one of the only journalists that "gets it" related to vehicle transport. All the other reviews going on and on about the drawbacks, its 17 grand! Why does every car journalist want every car to be a manual sport wagon with a V8, self driving and cost 125 grand? Great review Jonny!
It is great that things like this are finally coming but as you say, the secondhand market is also looking mighty attractive - I just picked up a late 2020 e-Golf for £11500
@@jamesellsworth9673Many degradation tests have been done, just search, and a battery will outlive the rest of the car. The degradation rate slows down as the battery gets older.
8:20 Small bit of context on the Euro ncap scores; they're currently also based on preventive safety systems included in the car, like pedestrian collision attention and subsequent auto braking systems. Since the car prorably lacks a lot of those features, it scores quite low on the test. It says little on the actual crash worthyness of the car and more on its preventive capabilities, skewing the results and favouring much more expensive cars imho. Still, it looks like an excellent offering for a small and cheap ev and somethin we should definitely see more of on the road. Excellent review, as per.
@@4203105 This is exactly my point; the 2013 Zoë scored 5 stars and somehow the 2021 scores... 0? Sure it's a newer, slightly altered model, but it also falls under the newer guidelines of Ncap; which of those two factor would explain the nosedive in crash safety more in that regard? It isn't exactly a death trap mind, just getting royally shafted by some skewed results..
Just watched Mat Watson’s review and he front loads it with a load of plastic scratching and door slamming before finally getting to the point. You get this car Jonny. There’s only two manufacturers who are selling cars that I rate, for the kind of money that I’m prepared to pay. They are Dacia and to a lesser extent, MG. Reminds me of an old Renault 4 or the OG Twingo in terms of being essential, classless and I think rather cool.
Exactly. They look rubbish once someone has dragged the buckle of a bag or some other pokey thing across them a few times. And I’m using my car to carry stuff and go to muddy places. It needs to be wipe clean and tough. There should be a scratchy plastic swear box for car journalists.
For a city car this has entirely too much range. It's also not that small. It's weird how the size and range creep in recent years has moved expectations. This is a very practical commuter car you can use in most rural areas of Europe and/or if you work in a city but live quite a bit outside where public transport is crap.
@@4203105 Never take the manufacturer's range value seriously. If you want to drive it like a car and not like a tricycle expect to use 20kwh per 100 kilometres no matter which EV you're using.
This is a perfect little run about. Good to see smaller ev's comming to market and prices comming down on them. It looks nice and quirky as well for a cheap basic car. Things are moving in the right direction.
Is this finally the spirit of the mk1 Fiat Panda / Citroen AX reborn for life in the 2020s? Looks promising to me... great review as ever Jonny, thank you
Jonny could do a 40 minute walk around of a new child's pram and I'd still watch it all. This may be one of few EV's that actually hits the brief for the point of an EV, lightweight, small, affordable urban transport transport . Makes sense
The sales figures will show if it is actually the kind of thing 'we' need to see on the market. I suspect all those that say they need cheaper, smaller, lighter EVs, will suddenly find another reason not to buy one. Almost as if everyone claims to want an EV, except for the buts. In this case it will be the crash rating, and for others that come along it will be something else.
Your smart phone is doing all the navigation and computing when using car play/android auto so the screen option makes perfect sense. Do like what Dacia are doing, but as you say the used market for EV's has dropped like a stone, we picked up a 3 year old ID3 Pro with under 20k on for less then a high spec Spring will cost.
I have the mk I, I absolutely love it simplicity and honesty. This new version is fabulous. Stop oversizing EVs, stop expecting luxury and prestige from cars - they are means of transport, nothing else.
All the embargoed vids for this are dropping this morning. Went straight to yours, Johnny, as expected it offers no nonsense, straight talking honest perspective. Only detail missing was top speed; I recall somewhere that this was a 65mph max car, but it would be good to know. It’ll be a useful second car for some families for sure. We had an early Zoe, but pretty sure its 0-60 was a little faster than the Spring.
If I've come to appreciate anything from watching you Jonny, it's practicality in a car is sexy. Practicality, simplicity and intuitive design. This has all of that. I don't love how it looks from the outside, but some of those design elements for the interior are really cool and feel utilitarian in a good way. And yes, my first thought of the badge was "Delorean". We don't have Dacia in Australia, but apparently we will be getting them next year rebadged as Renaults, which will be interesting to see.
My wife’s looking to replace her Up and ground clearance is a thing we’re looking for due to the Ceaușescu era roads in this part of Kent. She’d like an EV, but also likes a tiny car. Ignis was top of the list - the new Spring has a lot of Ignis about it. 👍 (Suzuki should just electrify the Jimny. All it needs is a hyper 9)
Always something really special about cars that are literally just that. So many have lost sight of what the car was even meant to be, i.e cheap and accessible transport for all. This thing is a breath of fresh air.
For someone that isnt really in to cars and someone that doesnt travel heaps in a car this is perfect 45min for a quick charge can easily charge off a shopping centre charger or having a good lunch aswell, i bet battery tech will get better n better
Our previous car, a 2020 Berlingo, had steelies and wheel trims. I caught one on a high kerb. It cost me £30 on eBay to replace the trim for a decent genuine Citroen trim.
When you talk about the NCAP rating, a rating of 1, I assume that's more about the lack of Driver aids like lane keeping assist, or whatever, rather than crash resistance. That's the problem with NCAP ratings now is they lump the physical safety rating with the electronic assistance In a budget car like a Dacia, there is no expectation of electronic assistance and to be honest, it's probably a better car for it compared to the intrusive nannying of the ORA Funky Cat for example.
@@christinerobottom9444and why wouldn’t they? Just what mr normal salary has been looking for and it now has all the stupid unnecessary driver aids ncap marked them down for to comply with this years legislation. Unfortunately that was why a lot of people chose Dacia as its just more to go wrong that you always switched off anyway. The range is spot on for its intended use case, it’s affordable and built from proven parts. The only reason to avoid is if your a badge snob or don’t understand how biased ncap is 🤷🏻♂️
This is a great package and it's wonderful to see a cheap, bare-bones new EV. That said, you can get a second-hand 300-mile range e-Niro for the same sort of money (and still with a great warranty) so I hope people do shop around a bit.
Absolutely, a Kia Soul or Hyundai Kona are top of my list when I can get the finance sorted out. Some people just want the new reg shiny car experience I guess, and it'll get a lot more low budget people into EVs once these come onto the used market in the next 1-2 years.
I was listening to Tom Scott's podcast yesterday and one thing they covered was Dacia numberplates only using letters and numbers which can be mirrored left to right in case the image is flipped for adverts in countries with LHD or RHD. Seems this car fits that nicely.
So finally!! In about 5 years... used one of these mean ev finally affordable to working class.... Not that i ever want an ev... till im old.. so not long as it goes....😂
Base model one of these is really compelling as a second car for highly regulated emissions environments, especially if you can granny charge it from a 3pin at home on a cheap tarriff.
Two main thoughts. 1, is that safety rating from a lack of modern city braking and lane assist stuff etc etc or does it actually just fold like a paper bag. 2, my god I want a beige car in 2024, proper 70s British Leyland vibes.
There's a reason for that. I personally would rather see the top 1% of the income bracket pay for charging infrastructure and manufacturing facilities etc. for cheaper EV than the average taxpayer.
You can get a second hand Honda E on sale today for £14300 with 21k miles. The Honda E is a car with serious character and anyone who hasn’t seen Jonny’s review on it must watch it. Surely a much better buy compared to a new Dacia Spring?
Genuine question, why do you hate the electric handbrake? I am thinking about the duster coming this summer, the journey has electric handbrake, the extreme a manual. I think the Journey will suit me more but I have never had an electric handbrake.
a manual lever and cable actuating the rear calipers will always be more reliable - and variable - than an electrical switch. Complexity for complexities sake...
I have a car with an electric parking brake and also one with a foot operated parking brake . I actively dislike the foot operated system, it is clumsy and inefficient. The electric version is linked to the 'Go' pedal and releases automatically as you drive forward and 'sets' automaticallly when stationary in traffic. Hill starts are a doddle.
I can remember the Dutch association of car insurers releasing statistics in the 80's that showed that objectively in terms of chances of getting hurt or damaged the safest car on the Dutch road was the .... Citroën 2CV! Yes, the light and slow 'Ugly Duck' out of thin sheets without any crumble zones or noticeable impact protection. By now you won't be surprised the unsafest car to be on top of that list was a fast version of the Porsche 911, that overengineered sports car from Stuttgart. Being slow, unasuming and not in the least ego-boosting or overconfidence-enhancing might be the biggest safety feature of them all.
The underpinnings of this car are as basic as they come. This car is underneath a heavily revised version of the Renault Kwid, a car launched in 2015 specifically designed for emerging markets like India, where the starting price was ~3k euros. That car was revised and turned into a cheap electric car for the chinese market called Renault City K-ZE, which was again revised (to meet EU regulations and standards) and turned into the Dacia Spring. This car is now a facelift of the original Spring. And that folks is how you turn a car that used to cost 3k euro into one that costs 25k euros :)
For most people who want a commuter car, you can pick up a 2014+ Leaf from about £4k, that will give 65-70mile winter range (the Tekna has heater seats/ steering wheel and a heat pump to save battery). If you can home charge every evening this seems to be the winning way to step into local EV driving. Its what I’m planning to do.
I've gone Ampera instead, min 30 winter and my max 45 summer but also with 300+ petrol works great as my only car, as I'm often out in the sticks with no charging
Man, the prices here are so bloated. The cheapest used Zoe/Leaf is 5k quid and it's a 2011 with 130k miles and probably has a toast battery. I honestly doubt anyone who's spending 5k on an EV has home charging.
The Dacia Spring is a move in the right direction. Other EVs are grossly overpriced and just looking at the residuals on those is very telling. ICE cars of old would take a few years to lose 30% of value, but many EVs are losing that in under a year. Seeing a £32k BYD, being listed at £22k with 5k miles a good example.
Also NCAP of 1 is Ok. if you do not have the electronic safety features you get a 1 out of 5. Does not necessarily mean an unsafe car. Lane assist is never on in my car for example but if it was omitted i manufacturer the NCAP would be lower.
I thought that might be the case so I went on to the actual test for this one to check. This car does actually score pretty poorly on all the impact tests but it does have some of the electronic assists. At this point it would probably make sense for NCAP to publish 2 separate scores for impact protection and moron features because at the moment they seem to be marketing themselves into irrelevance. So maybe 1-5 for impact and A-E for assistance, giving this car probably a 3-D from looking at the report
I think this is a good car for outside the city too! Here in rural Devon the roads are shocking so soft suspension, good ground clearance and actually a small size is great. For those who only need to get into town from their country cottage it's ideal. Also with all the hills then regen braking is good as you can get back some of the energy that you spent going up them! Maybe it's a latter day Jimny??? just without the 4 wheel drive....
The rating is for the non-facelift version. This one has safety assists that became mandatory recently, and it would score higher if it were tested again.
This is primarily intended as a city commuter car. Anyone who bought one as a motorway stormer, has bought the wrong car. Any accident at city traffic speeds, is not likely to be horrendous. The average speed of commuter traffic in London is 8 mph......
The outgoing model of Dacia Spring also has regen braking and you can't adjust its "strength". But the novelty in the new model is that you can toggle it on/off if you either want to have regen braking or not.
Great video,I really like it, about time there was something affordable on the market,I think I would use it for a daily not a second car,as for a budget car I don't think it looks to bad,it got everything you need,I like that gadget with the light, and for your phone, nice 👌👍😀
Great review Jonny, this car hits the spot in so many ways for people who need a second car to get to work, district nurses, all sorts of other people that do door to door services. Low daily miles and access to easy charging. Bring it on. 👍😎
You know when you see a car going in the opposite direction with litter stuck all over the radiator…... Nice concept and refreshing to see something sensible (like JS shoe selection) and a simple well designed interior. Raised height, steel wheels, keeps within the envelope of our uk speed restricted roads. I am sure it will sell well as with all Dacia cars.
Great content as usual I really like this reminds me of Suzuki ignis I really think this could kick start the Ev market in the uk as the budget end is really lacking at the moment
Brillant French budget design in the tradition of the R4, R5, 2CV etc. I’ve had a petrol Duster for six years and love the “honesty” (agree with you Jonny) of the design. This is very tempting for city commuting (where that NCAP 1* is less of a risk!)
2 possible reasons. Thailand applies crazy taxes to cars that are build outside Thailand and China. Some thai market cars have less safety equipment, maybe two airbags at most and even thinner steel.
@@PaulTC97import taxes on foreign goods are a bugger in Thailand. 100% on used import motorcycles (like Ducati, Harley etc..). Those built in Thailand with certain percentage of locally made parts (e.g. some Kawasaki) are, by contrast, quite reasonable. Cars must have similar issues but I doubt Thailand is discounting Chinese cars. More likely UK import duties are excessively high...
The MG4 is the exact same price - £17K. But that's not the bargain in Thailand, the NETA 'V' takes that by a wide margin: £10K, with all the toys fitted as standard.
@@PaulTC97 LOL. Absolute nonsense, apart from high import duties being applied to vehicles coming from the West - which has been the case for several decades. Do you seriously believe manufacturers here have assembly lines that use thinner steel for different markets? 😅
Great review, significantly more informative and clear than the Electrifying review. Well done and also well done for being sympathetic to the needs and values of real people that just need a car not an ego polisher. Great SUV styling, good flat fold back seat. It doesnt need to be posh inside, it is a car not a living room.
ha ha that steering whell is used on so many renaults. Now comes from the spring through all of the Dacia's and Renault's right up to the Alpine a110 !
My mother has had her Dacia Jogger for nearly two years now. She loves it to bits, 7 chairs, 56mpg average, all the kit you ever need and it cost less than a 7 year old Ford S-Max.
1:39 so with a bookmark rage of 140+, in reality you'll have around 100 in blistering summertime. In winter, you'll get around 70... hmm no, still don't want 1. btw, im just gonna ignore the bot comments that comment on this EDIT 8:28 You've just put the nail in the coffin or should I say spring in the coffin? How much is your family's life worth?
9:37 that seems like an extremely high seating position. Impossible to see traffic lights (when they're posted on your side of the intersection) Car has so many wins going on. Yet when you have to city drive this on a daily basis, you'll be leaning over the wheel to see the light every intersection...
The big positive is that it does come in below £20,000 however, this is really a rebadged Chinese car.... that allegedly sells for $5,000 to $10,000 in China. Whilst it has a landmark price, I would rather have a second-hand VW e-UP.
but it's the same car only on the outside, it still has to meet the safety standards for the european markets. there's a big difference between the Dongfeng and Dacia versions of this regarding its chassis.
@suburbianbv Question is... assuming a generous $10,000 for the Chinese model.... does it real cost a further $10,000 to make the chassis a little stronger?
I live in Romania and have ridden in a friend's first generation Dacia Spring. The acceleration as he drove with four passengers (three adults in the back!) through Sibiu city was still quite brisk. I believe Dacia are on to a winner with this car for owners who only need to make local journeys. BTW, when I last checked the starting price in Romania was below €10,000 including VAT!
Dacia on to a winner again. reasonable price , perfectly usable range and real controls!! Real buttons real handbrake. Just wonderful. Well done dacia and thanks for the review jonny.
I am relaxed about the cost cutting when it comes to things like the cheap plastics in the cabin like the Tesla but the Encap safety rating is a dealbreaker. If I had restricted budget, I would be looking at a used car rather than that Dacia.
12:48 I don't know why people keep saying that, we've had our EU spec spring for over a year and 100% it has regen braking when you lift off the accelerator, and if you brake it regens even more. There's a kW display and it's very clear what's happening
This is the kind of review the Spring deserves, watched the Carwow Matt Watson review and was night and day difference. Fantastic review Jonny!
Matt is a brat who thinks it is cool to bash unfairly any gallic cars
@@alre9766He’s a brat, but his points are often correct. It’s just how much they matter that is more subjective
I like a proper review, as I suspect do many. Matt tries to be funny, or his script writers try- badly.
Carwow was complete snobbery IMO.
Yes! that review totally missed the mark.
The analogue handbrake is the winner for me. Why oh why do other manufacturers insist on electronic parking brakes. Just expensive and more to go wrong. Great presentation as always.😊
Here for the handbrake comment 🥒
Agree
£10 a month subscription to use the "handbrake option" going forward on other cars.
Why oh why do manufacturers insist on building EV’s, ? Never mind the handbrake
Electronic is probably cheaper at the scale they are producing. Regular handbrakes aren't produced at large scale any more.
Basic is real switches and premium is annoying touch screen?? (For climate)
How did manufactures get this wrong
They all seem to think they need to copy Tesla, they don't.
I want a good well positioned phone holder with charger, that covers my music, hands free and sat nav needs, the rest I want parts bin physical switches in sensible places. I don't even like all the buttons on the steering wheel, phones have voice assistants.
Put the money where it will be useful, not in gimmicks that will fail and cost more to repair when they go wrong.
I drove a Dacia Logan for years, a 2006, it had 1 onboard computer, the Renault dealer wanted 200 quid to supply, reprogram and replace it. Parts and labour. That is how to do cars.
@80y3r9: manufacturers didn't get this wrong from their perspective; it was a cynical cost saving measure and sod the buying public.
Switches are simple and means yards of copper wire. Touchscreen is what the top spec cars have. Plus they have software that needs updating, even if the hardware works perfectly. So there’s the future expensive upgrades already built in…..
I want a balance personally. And honestly in 2024 what I think we should have is a basic system, and the option of ripping the radio out, and replacing it with whatever we want from the third party market. Using your phone seems like a good basic level thing. Having a panel like an old radio that any mechanic can remove, and replace with your choice of a 10-15 inch screen you bought after market, would seem like the best future for basic cars. I wouldn't use a phone instead of a tablet screen, or a control on a tablet that just needs to be a physical button, but I'd like to be able to save the money up front, while still being able to easily upgrade in the future. By definition, the car is going to last a lot longer than the tablets they build into it as those will get out of date a lot faster than a battery, door, steering wheel or button. Offering all these trims increases the price and that's not good for a budget concept.
When Jonny opens his notebook you can be sure you get all the facts you need to know 😊
Factboi
Much better review than the recent one from Carwow. You actually recognise the car for what it's trying to achieve.
We absolutely need more of this sort of thing on the market. Not everyone needs a 3 ton monster with a 0-60 of 4 seconds
Carwow seems more interested in entertainment than anything else. Their definition of "entertainment" seems to be being really juvenile and crude, interrupted by high-pitched laughter from the host.
Only found Carwow recently. They feature really nice machines and have a huge sub base, but I just didn't enjoy it personally. He can be really insightful but it's just a bit cringeworthy all round. It's like if Wish made a high budget car show.
CarWow is up there with AutoAlex (and now Autotrader) these days really. Not bad just a bit worthless for reviews and car news. They are entertainment channels@@zoid9969
@@zoid9969 Spot on, seems that they have much younger targeted audience. I would say teenagers, all things considered..
Matt is just a bit annoying after a while.
The Laguna volume controls live on, they've survived longer than the Toyota clocks now!
I think even the R21 had the same ones
Give it time, and the Morris Marina door handles will make get another comeback... How many people weren't expecting to see them on early LandRover Discovery's.?
I drive a Nissan NV400 (Rebadged Renault Master) and they have these volume controls. I actually love them. They're way better than buttons on the steering wheel I find.
I hope they continue to hold out with them, they just work and feel better than shifting your hand/thumb around on the face of the steering wheel.
@@sssssneaker They did! I had two as company cars from 1987-1991.
Dont forget the Ford wing mirror controls!
Jonny continues to be one of the only journalists that "gets it" related to vehicle transport. All the other reviews going on and on about the drawbacks, its 17 grand! Why does every car journalist want every car to be a manual sport wagon with a V8, self driving and cost 125 grand? Great review Jonny!
It is great that things like this are finally coming but as you say, the secondhand market is also looking mighty attractive - I just picked up a late 2020 e-Golf for £11500
Sounds like you got a bargain, nice one!
@@adamharris5355if it works :))
Second hand EVs could work...until the battery system needs replacing. Pricing won't look good then.
Sadly in my country there is no secondhand market 😢
@@jamesellsworth9673Many degradation tests have been done, just search, and a battery will outlive the rest of the car. The degradation rate slows down as the battery gets older.
Now this is more like it ‼️
A true basic A to B commuter vehicle.
8:20 Small bit of context on the Euro ncap scores; they're currently also based on preventive safety systems included in the car, like pedestrian collision attention and subsequent auto braking systems. Since the car prorably lacks a lot of those features, it scores quite low on the test. It says little on the actual crash worthyness of the car and more on its preventive capabilities, skewing the results and favouring much more expensive cars imho.
Still, it looks like an excellent offering for a small and cheap ev and somethin we should definitely see more of on the road. Excellent review, as per.
Also at least this got one star, even without any of those systems. If it got zero, like the Renault Zoë, I'd be concerned.
@@4203105 This is exactly my point; the 2013 Zoë scored 5 stars and somehow the 2021 scores... 0? Sure it's a newer, slightly altered model, but it also falls under the newer guidelines of Ncap; which of those two factor would explain the nosedive in crash safety more in that regard? It isn't exactly a death trap mind, just getting royally shafted by some skewed results..
Yes that's exactly why they added all of those required systems in this model so we should expect more stars
@@mambonummer5 The newer one didn't get side airbags as standard. That's a big reason why.
@@alfrredd this isn't even a new model. It's just a facelift. What are you talking about?
Just watched Mat Watson’s review and he front loads it with a load of plastic scratching and door slamming before finally getting to the point. You get this car Jonny. There’s only two manufacturers who are selling cars that I rate, for the kind of money that I’m prepared to pay. They are Dacia and to a lesser extent, MG. Reminds me of an old Renault 4 or the OG Twingo in terms of being essential, classless and I think rather cool.
Only car journalists care about scratchy plastic. Rather that than degrading gummy soft plastics in a few years time! :)
Exactly. They look rubbish once someone has dragged the buckle of a bag or some other pokey thing across them a few times. And I’m using my car to carry stuff and go to muddy places. It needs to be wipe clean and tough. There should be a scratchy plastic swear box for car journalists.
It’s refreshing. Like how the Duster arrived
I'd definitely consider the Spring especially as it has V2L and i like the honesty of the value considered design and materials.
Citroen isn't in the range with the e-C3 for you?
If you listen closely you can hear chinos tearing 😂😂😂 good review. Nice little budget city car.
If you know, you know #smithandsniff
@@TheLateBrakeShowI'm actually not interested in the car - I was only watching for the back seat incident 😂
For a city car this has entirely too much range. It's also not that small. It's weird how the size and range creep in recent years has moved expectations.
This is a very practical commuter car you can use in most rural areas of Europe and/or if you work in a city but live quite a bit outside where public transport is crap.
Good point a commuter wagon for sure.
@@4203105 Never take the manufacturer's range value seriously. If you want to drive it like a car and not like a tricycle expect to use 20kwh per 100 kilometres no matter which EV you're using.
The analogue bonnet pull is the winner for me, why oh why do other manufactures insist on electric bonnet pulls, just more to go wrong.
Never come across one of them personally
@@sambarker7930Porsche use them. They’re great until you have a flat battery and can’t get to the battery which is locked in the boot.
@@davidmatthews3093 that just sounds like something else to go wrong
This is a perfect little run about. Good to see smaller ev's comming to market and prices comming down on them.
It looks nice and quirky as well for a cheap basic car. Things are moving in the right direction.
Is this finally the spirit of the mk1 Fiat Panda / Citroen AX reborn for life in the 2020s? Looks promising to me... great review as ever Jonny, thank you
Jonny could do a 40 minute walk around of a new child's pram and I'd still watch it all.
This may be one of few EV's that actually hits the brief for the point of an EV, lightweight, small, affordable urban transport transport . Makes sense
Plenty of Mobility scooters for a lot less. Every bit as fast!
This is more like the kind of thing we need to see on the market from the evs
Yes I want a 1 star safety rating on my car.
Somebody will just want a dirt cheap car. The important thing is that prices are going down @@JohnnyZenith
The sales figures will show if it is actually the kind of thing 'we' need to see on the market. I suspect all those that say they need cheaper, smaller, lighter EVs, will suddenly find another reason not to buy one. Almost as if everyone claims to want an EV, except for the buts. In this case it will be the crash rating, and for others that come along it will be something else.
@@JohnnyZenith Tbh, who really wants to live in this hellish nightmare where you can't make enough to survive and drive a Dacia?
No, I think many of the will buy one. Not everybody is rich.@@davidnorton5887
Your smart phone is doing all the navigation and computing when using car play/android auto so the screen option makes perfect sense. Do like what Dacia are doing, but as you say the used market for EV's has dropped like a stone, we picked up a 3 year old ID3 Pro with under 20k on for less then a high spec Spring will cost.
I have the mk I, I absolutely love it simplicity and honesty. This new version is fabulous. Stop oversizing EVs, stop expecting luxury and prestige from cars - they are means of transport, nothing else.
All the embargoed vids for this are dropping this morning. Went straight to yours, Johnny, as expected it offers no nonsense, straight talking honest perspective. Only detail missing was top speed; I recall somewhere that this was a 65mph max car, but it would be good to know. It’ll be a useful second car for some families for sure. We had an early Zoe, but pretty sure its 0-60 was a little faster than the Spring.
78mph
@@alanduffell6820outside lane of the M40 will be a no-go zone then. It's scary enough in my e-up (max speed 83)
Think it's 78 for the 65hp version. Maybe 65 was the 45hp one.
If I've come to appreciate anything from watching you Jonny, it's practicality in a car is sexy. Practicality, simplicity and intuitive design. This has all of that. I don't love how it looks from the outside, but some of those design elements for the interior are really cool and feel utilitarian in a good way. And yes, my first thought of the badge was "Delorean". We don't have Dacia in Australia, but apparently we will be getting them next year rebadged as Renaults, which will be interesting to see.
Your reviews are brilliant Jonny! Very in-depth, relaxing to watch and very well produced. I like the car too :)
My wife’s looking to replace her Up and ground clearance is a thing we’re looking for due to the Ceaușescu era roads in this part of Kent.
She’d like an EV, but also likes a tiny car. Ignis was top of the list - the new Spring has a lot of Ignis about it. 👍
(Suzuki should just electrify the Jimny. All it needs is a hyper 9)
Always something really special about cars that are literally just that. So many have lost sight of what the car was even meant to be, i.e cheap and accessible transport for all. This thing is a breath of fresh air.
I don’t mind those high headrest , because I always sit in the back when her indoors is driving and I don’t want to see 😂😂😂
the ID.3 is also available with steelies and hubcaps isn’t it? I kinda love that they still live on into the EV era.
For someone that isnt really in to cars and someone that doesnt travel heaps in a car this is perfect 45min for a quick charge can easily charge off a shopping centre charger or having a good lunch aswell, i bet battery tech will get better n better
Our previous car, a 2020 Berlingo, had steelies and wheel trims. I caught one on a high kerb. It cost me £30 on eBay to replace the trim for a decent genuine Citroen trim.
When you talk about the NCAP rating, a rating of 1, I assume that's more about the lack of Driver aids like lane keeping assist, or whatever, rather than crash resistance. That's the problem with NCAP ratings now is they lump the physical safety rating with the electronic assistance In a budget car like a Dacia, there is no expectation of electronic assistance and to be honest, it's probably a better car for it compared to the intrusive nannying of the ORA Funky Cat for example.
It looks OK for physical protection although there's a bit more red on the driver dummy than I really want.
@@davidquinn5906Surely no one will consider this car.
@@christinerobottom9444and why wouldn’t they? Just what mr normal salary has been looking for and it now has all the stupid unnecessary driver aids ncap marked them down for to comply with this years legislation. Unfortunately that was why a lot of people chose Dacia as its just more to go wrong that you always switched off anyway. The range is spot on for its intended use case, it’s affordable and built from proven parts. The only reason to avoid is if your a badge snob or don’t understand how biased ncap is 🤷🏻♂️
This is a great package and it's wonderful to see a cheap, bare-bones new EV. That said, you can get a second-hand 300-mile range e-Niro for the same sort of money (and still with a great warranty) so I hope people do shop around a bit.
Absolutely, a Kia Soul or Hyundai Kona are top of my list when I can get the finance sorted out. Some people just want the new reg shiny car experience I guess, and it'll get a lot more low budget people into EVs once these come onto the used market in the next 1-2 years.
@@gazzaman28 Yes, and there'll be some great lease deals for the Dacia I imagine.
I was listening to Tom Scott's podcast yesterday and one thing they covered was Dacia numberplates only using letters and numbers which can be mirrored left to right in case the image is flipped for adverts in countries with LHD or RHD. Seems this car fits that nicely.
Been doing that since the 70s they used to flip the film for which market they were advertising in. Nothing new.
Lots of manufacturers do this - look out and you will see.
Really enjoying your channel great mix of content keep up the good work 👍👍
Nice, balanced review. Mat Watson was too harsh...
mat watson is trash anyway
Also he's called Mat
@@_rlb
Thank you, I have already corrected
Not enough "poverty spec" and pointing at his expensive watch in this video
@@Darx97 Stopped watching his channel years ago. Hes a twat.
Keep doing what you're doing Johnny, all your videos are very watchable! Love a handbrake lever too btw 🥒
So finally!! In about 5 years... used one of these mean ev finally affordable to working class....
Not that i ever want an ev... till im old.. so not long as it goes....😂
What is the battery chemistry?
Is it LFP?
NCM, as they have not changed the structure of the vehicle 👍
So good to hear your comment on electric hand brakes 🤣our vw yep totally agree
No I thought the new logo had a touch of DMC about it too
same here
Hi Johnny I agree with your last suggestion but give this a year / 18 months and this should be a real bargain as a second car used.
Yeah about a couple grand.
I like it. There’s an honesty to it
Base model one of these is really compelling as a second car for highly regulated emissions environments, especially if you can granny charge it from a 3pin at home on a cheap tarriff.
Looks a great little electric car.
Two main thoughts.
1, is that safety rating from a lack of modern city braking and lane assist stuff etc etc or does it actually just fold like a paper bag.
2, my god I want a beige car in 2024, proper 70s British Leyland vibes.
My car is recorded as beige but really it's a sort of metallic champagne silver 2014 Skoda Octavia
I believe its foldable.
19.7 seconds to 60mph! You try to pull out of a junction into fast moving traffic you will soon find out if it folds!
They mostly are to expensive. We need more cheaper cars like this.
If it was £8,000 it would be fairly priced.
@@zog97xy agreed
There's a reason for that. I personally would rather see the top 1% of the income bracket pay for charging infrastructure and manufacturing facilities etc. for cheaper EV than the average taxpayer.
It's a death trap.
You can get a second hand Honda E on sale today for £14300 with 21k miles. The Honda E is a car with serious character and anyone who hasn’t seen Jonny’s review on it must watch it. Surely a much better buy compared to a new Dacia Spring?
Love it! If the price is as expected i reckon they will sell loads of them
Genuine question, why do you hate the electric handbrake?
I am thinking about the duster coming this summer, the journey has electric handbrake, the extreme a manual. I think the Journey will suit me more but I have never had an electric handbrake.
Electric handbrake are just another thing to go wrong,that add s cost and complication. Benefits workshops,not owner.
a manual lever and cable actuating the rear calipers will always be more reliable - and variable - than an electrical switch. Complexity for complexities sake...
I have a car with an electric parking brake and also one with a foot operated parking brake . I actively dislike the foot operated system, it is clumsy and inefficient. The electric version is linked to the 'Go' pedal and releases automatically as you drive forward and 'sets' automaticallly when stationary in traffic. Hill starts are a doddle.
I can remember the Dutch association of car insurers releasing statistics in the 80's that showed that objectively in terms of chances of getting hurt or damaged the safest car on the Dutch road was the .... Citroën 2CV! Yes, the light and slow 'Ugly Duck' out of thin sheets without any crumble zones or noticeable impact protection. By now you won't be surprised the unsafest car to be on top of that list was a fast version of the Porsche 911, that overengineered sports car from Stuttgart.
Being slow, unasuming and not in the least ego-boosting or overconfidence-enhancing might be the biggest safety feature of them all.
The underpinnings of this car are as basic as they come. This car is underneath a heavily revised version of the Renault Kwid, a car launched in 2015 specifically designed for emerging markets like India, where the starting price was ~3k euros. That car was revised and turned into a cheap electric car for the chinese market called Renault City K-ZE, which was again revised (to meet EU regulations and standards) and turned into the Dacia Spring.
This car is now a facelift of the original Spring. And that folks is how you turn a car that used to cost 3k euro into one that costs 25k euros :)
And it's still rubbish!
I've seen three reviews of this car this morning, each saying a different price: £15k (Electrifying), £17k (here) and £20k (Autotrader).
25k euro in my country for the cheapest one
@@kilamayt597 currently 13k€ in Germany. Though not sure if that offer will be valid for the 2024 version.
@@kilamayt597 what country do you live in
@@Billk2978 croatia
It's not worth 5 grand
For most people who want a commuter car, you can pick up a 2014+ Leaf from about £4k, that will give 65-70mile winter range (the Tekna has heater seats/ steering wheel and a heat pump to save battery).
If you can home charge every evening this seems to be the winning way to step into local EV driving. Its what I’m planning to do.
Yes I've had 2 of them great cars
I've gone Ampera instead, min 30 winter and my max 45 summer but also with 300+ petrol works great as my only car, as I'm often out in the sticks with no charging
@@willflackbut the. You own a Leaf.
Man, the prices here are so bloated. The cheapest used Zoe/Leaf is 5k quid and it's a 2011 with 130k miles and probably has a toast battery. I honestly doubt anyone who's spending 5k on an EV has home charging.
does it have space for a spare wheel ?
The Dacia Spring is a move in the right direction. Other EVs are grossly overpriced and just looking at the residuals on those is very telling. ICE cars of old would take a few years to lose 30% of value, but many EVs are losing that in under a year. Seeing a £32k BYD, being listed at £22k with 5k miles a good example.
Hopefully this will make the big manufacturers sit up and take notice, nicely priced second car
Customers need no safety, they actually want nothing but a little bit cheaper. 🤣
Also NCAP of 1 is Ok. if you do not have the electronic safety features you get a 1 out of 5. Does not necessarily mean an unsafe car. Lane assist is never on in my car for example but if it was omitted i manufacturer the NCAP would be lower.
I thought that might be the case so I went on to the actual test for this one to check. This car does actually score pretty poorly on all the impact tests but it does have some of the electronic assists.
At this point it would probably make sense for NCAP to publish 2 separate scores for impact protection and moron features because at the moment they seem to be marketing themselves into irrelevance. So maybe 1-5 for impact and A-E for assistance, giving this car probably a 3-D from looking at the report
I think this is a good car for outside the city too! Here in rural Devon the roads are shocking so soft suspension, good ground clearance and actually a small size is great. For those who only need to get into town from their country cottage it's ideal. Also with all the hills then regen braking is good as you can get back some of the energy that you spent going up them!
Maybe it's a latter day Jimny??? just without the 4 wheel drive....
I think that 1 star safety rating is probably a big reason it's under a ton
The rating is for the non-facelift version. This one has safety assists that became mandatory recently, and it would score higher if it were tested again.
This really is rubbish forget the price, High value?
A much better review than Carwows. Don't bother with theirs, its embarrassing.
A one star crash test should disqualify any car from being sold!
You’ve no understanding of ncap then 🤦🏻♂️
This is primarily intended as a city commuter car. Anyone who bought one as a motorway stormer, has bought the wrong car. Any accident at city traffic speeds, is not likely to be horrendous. The average speed of commuter traffic in London is 8 mph......
The outgoing model of Dacia Spring also has regen braking and you can't adjust its "strength". But the novelty in the new model is that you can toggle it on/off if you either want to have regen braking or not.
Love the simplicity. I’ll reinforce my chinos though.
Great video,I really like it, about time there was something affordable on the market,I think I would use it for a daily not a second car,as for a budget car I don't think it looks to bad,it got everything you need,I like that gadget with the light, and for your phone, nice 👌👍😀
Great review Jonny, this car hits the spot in so many ways for people who need a second car to get to work, district nurses, all sorts of other people that do door to door services. Low daily miles and access to easy charging. Bring it on. 👍😎
Is that a tire mark graphic or an aerial map view of a city?
You know when you see a car going in the opposite direction with litter stuck all over the radiator…...
Nice concept and refreshing to see something sensible (like JS shoe selection) and a simple well designed interior.
Raised height, steel wheels, keeps within the envelope of our uk speed restricted roads.
I am sure it will sell well as with all Dacia cars.
A real honest walkround, kind of reminds me of my C4 Cactus, this would be a ideal replacement for it or my wifes car.
Great content as usual I really like this reminds me of Suzuki ignis I really think this could kick start the Ev market in the uk as the budget end is really lacking at the moment
Brillant French budget design in the tradition of the R4, R5, 2CV etc. I’ve had a petrol Duster for six years and love the “honesty” (agree with you Jonny) of the design. This is very tempting for city commuting (where that NCAP 1* is less of a risk!)
Ah yes! This is not a washing machine on wheels....this is a toaster on wheels! That is what we all need!
There are 2 Patreon links in the description box and only one of them works.
In Thailand the MG5EV is only £14,000, why the hell are they so expensive here!
Regulations ,tariffs, and simply other ways to keep prices high,and exclude basic cars.
2 possible reasons. Thailand applies crazy taxes to cars that are build outside Thailand and China. Some thai market cars have less safety equipment, maybe two airbags at most and even thinner steel.
@@PaulTC97import taxes on foreign goods are a bugger in Thailand. 100% on used import motorcycles (like Ducati, Harley etc..). Those built in Thailand with certain percentage of locally made parts (e.g. some Kawasaki) are, by contrast, quite reasonable. Cars must have similar issues but I doubt Thailand is discounting Chinese cars. More likely UK import duties are excessively high...
The MG4 is the exact same price - £17K. But that's not the bargain in Thailand, the NETA 'V' takes that by a wide margin: £10K, with all the toys fitted as standard.
@@PaulTC97 LOL. Absolute nonsense, apart from high import duties being applied to vehicles coming from the West - which has been the case for several decades.
Do you seriously believe manufacturers here have assembly lines that use thinner steel for different markets? 😅
Great review, significantly more informative and clear than the Electrifying review. Well done and also well done for being sympathetic to the needs and values of real people that just need a car not an ego polisher. Great SUV styling, good flat fold back seat. It doesnt need to be posh inside, it is a car not a living room.
ha ha that steering whell is used on so many renaults.
Now comes from the spring through all of the Dacia's and Renault's right up to the Alpine a110 !
Good news!
James May approves 👍
My mother has had her Dacia Jogger for nearly two years now. She loves it to bits, 7 chairs, 56mpg average, all the kit you ever need and it cost less than a 7 year old Ford S-Max.
1:39 so with a bookmark rage of 140+, in reality you'll have around 100 in blistering summertime. In winter, you'll get around 70... hmm no, still don't want 1.
btw, im just gonna ignore the bot comments that comment on this
EDIT
8:28 You've just put the nail in the coffin or should I say spring in the coffin?
How much is your family's life worth?
I love how Jonny always has a paper note book when he's reviewing cars.
DMC logo resemblance is spot on.
A good honest review, as always Jonny. Second hand these are gonna be great!
Happy Birthday on 24th!
The froot is optional?
At first glance I thought the graphics on the bumpers was a map of Paris.
An excellent review. Thank you very much.
9:37 that seems like an extremely high seating position. Impossible to see traffic lights (when they're posted on your side of the intersection)
Car has so many wins going on. Yet when you have to city drive this on a daily basis, you'll be leaning over the wheel to see the light every intersection...
The big positive is that it does come in below £20,000 however, this is really a rebadged Chinese car.... that allegedly sells for $5,000 to $10,000 in China. Whilst it has a landmark price, I would rather have a second-hand VW e-UP.
Exactly. This will be worth 10k precisely 5 mins after you leave the dealership.
@@beano6452puts in my price bracket then 👍
but it's the same car only on the outside, it still has to meet the safety standards for the european markets. there's a big difference between the Dongfeng and Dacia versions of this regarding its chassis.
@@beano6452idk in Romania you can get this for less than 10k€...if you give them a clapped out car in change
@suburbianbv Question is... assuming a generous $10,000 for the Chinese model.... does it real cost a further $10,000 to make the chassis a little stronger?
I live in Romania and have ridden in a friend's first generation Dacia Spring. The acceleration as he drove with four passengers (three adults in the back!) through Sibiu city was still quite brisk. I believe Dacia are on to a winner with this car for owners who only need to make local journeys. BTW, when I last checked the starting price in Romania was below €10,000 including VAT!
Price will be key considering how quickly electric cars depreciate, would probably make more sense as a used purchase in a years time.
Being China based i cannot wait for this one to get on fire but it is a step in the right direction
I can see it being a hit for those pensioners that queue outside M&S at 07.30, also a great asset to those who commute into the city for work. 👍
The notebook is quintessentially Jonny. ❤ great video of a Wenooo
Great, honest review! 👏👏
even if they wheels were alloys, it would need flat look alloys or ones with tesla hubcaps anyway to keep the range same.
Dacia on to a winner again. reasonable price , perfectly usable range and real controls!! Real buttons real handbrake. Just wonderful. Well done dacia and thanks for the review jonny.
Good on Dacia for producing this economy EV model. Personally I’d go elsewhere with a used EV especially regarding that NCAP 1 rating
How much power can be pulled from the CCS
Another great honest review
I am relaxed about the cost cutting when it comes to things like the cheap plastics in the cabin like the Tesla but the Encap safety rating is a dealbreaker. If I had restricted budget, I would be looking at a used car rather than that Dacia.
12:48 I don't know why people keep saying that, we've had our EU spec spring for over a year and 100% it has regen braking when you lift off the accelerator, and if you brake it regens even more. There's a kW display and it's very clear what's happening
Those decals on the front and back look like city maps, perhaps implying the intended use.
Agree about the DMC
Not really keen on EV but I do enjoy your content and honest opinion. Excellent channel 👍🏻
Great video