Dacia Spring review

The pre-facelift car felt terribly cheap inside, which would have been a sticking point if the car had come over to the UK like that. But Dacia’s done a lovely job shrinking the insides of the new Duster down to fit inside the Spring.

Don’t get us wrong, the plastics are still cheap and hard (durable would be the euphemism) and there’s nothing fancy about the Spring, but the styling makes up for the sparsity of stuff.

Is there any tech? 

You might jest, but the Spring does come with analogue and digital flavours. Of the two trims available (Expression and Extreme), the entry car doesn’t come with a central touchscreen; you download the Dacia app and use that to play your music.

We're yet to sample that, but the Extreme car has a 10.0in infotainment touchscreen that works quite well. It’s got wireless Apple and Android connectivity as standard (and two USB-C plugs if you need them), which is handy because the native satnav isn't very good. It's slow to update the route, easily flummoxed and not always clear to follow at critical moments... cue some hair-raising frolics around roundabouts.

Is it spacious? 

No. The Spring is distinctly unspacious, but then you have to remember that it is absolutely tiny. There’s a useful 308-litre boot and 1,004 litres of space with the rear bench tipped down (it’s a single piece), and Dacia claims 33 litres of space around various cubbies up front.

The cupholders in the doors aren’t up to much, but there’s a useful bit of space in the centre of the floor and a little shelf above the glovebox. You can buy some nifty little accessories to maximise these spaces if you so choose.

The rear seats are cramped, but they’ll do for giving lifts around town. And you might feel a little claustrophobic up front if you’re driving with someone possessing a bit of width around the shoulders. Is it roomier than a Fiat 500e? Yes it is. But not quite as cleverly put together as something like the Volkswagen Up (RIP).