MG Cyberster review: modern twist on a classic

This brand is best known for its affordable hatchbacks and softroaders, but it’s taken an adventurous turn with its latest offering.

The MG Cyberster harks back to the brands roots. Picture: Supplied.

For years, Chinese carmaker MG has traded on past glories.

It acquired the famed British sports car brand in 2007 but its budget hatchbacks and SUVs bore no resemblance to their forebears.

All that will change later this year, when it will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the MG brand with a thoroughly modern homage to the T-types and MGAs of its past.

The new Cyberster could have been a horrible retro rehash of its back catalogue, but instead it’s a noble attempt to reinvent the roadster.

It comes with an advanced battery-electric powertrain that delivers supercar-like acceleration, complemented by flowing lines and dramatic scissor doors.

The Cyberster looks the part with its dramatic scissor doors. Picture: Supplied.

Under the stunning sheet metal is some serious sports car hardware: double front wishbone suspension and a sophisticated five-link independent set-up at the rear, tuned by the brand’s British research and development centre to better suit Australian roads.

There are some impressive numbers as well, including an ideal 50:50 weight distribution for the dual-motor version, which pumps out a lethal 375kW. The cheaper single motor rear-wheel drive Trophy is no slouch either, producing a punchy 250kW.

Access to the new MG’s cabin is via a pair of electric scissor doors that swing gracefully or slowly open, depending on your patience, to reveal a sporty cabin that looks as if it was inspired by the Chevrolet Corvette.

Ahead of the driver is a wraparound digital display that blends a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with two 7-inch displays (one either side) used for the infotainment and trip computer. A further 7-inch touchscreen is employed for the climate control and driver assist safety systems.

The cabin has a hi-tech look. Picture: Supplied.

The sports car looks are backed up by sledgehammer acceleration. With Launch Control selected the dual-motor can hit 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds.

By the seat of the pants it feels every bit as quick as that, providing effortless acceleration and exceptional levels of refinement with the roof up or down.

Unfortunately that’s where the sportiness ends with the Cyberster.

Push on and the suspension struggles to keep the body movement in check and it soon feels out of its comfort zone. The steering is also lifeless.

Weight is the reason for the lack of agility.

The GT tips the scales at a hefty 1985kg. For reference, a Mazda MX-5 weighs just 1100kg.

That might be the reason why the single-motor Trophy, weighing 1885kg, feels livelier and not that much slower point-to-point.

The drop-top is comfortable and refined. Picture: Supplied.

The Cyberster misses the mark in other ways as well.

The cabin tech isn’t as intuitive as it should be and the menus are fiddly and distracting on the move. The seat itself is also perched too high for a proper sports car and the windscreen rail ahead of you feels too low. Tall drivers might struggle.

That’s a shame as the cabin feels far more spacious than other roadsters, with extra stowage space behind the two seats to supplement the small 249-litre boot that can only just squeeze a bag of golf clubs in.

Another bugbear is charging. While the range is acceptable – the rear-drive Trophy can

cover 509km, the GT about 444km – the standard 77kWh (74.4kW usable) battery can

only be topped up at a rate of 144kW, meaning a 10-80 per cent top-up takes a tardy

38 mins. The fastest-charging EVs take roughly half the time.

The MG won’t be cheap when it launches later this year. Picture: Supplied.

Then there’s the price. At $100,000 for the cheapest Trophy and nearly $150,000 for the GT it takes the brand into uncharted territory.

But if you’re looking for droptop EV alternatives, there simply aren’t any, unless you’re willing to pay five times as much for the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore.

Its real competition lands in 2025 when Porsche will introduce its all-electric Boxster that

will no doubt beat the Cyberster for its drive, if not its charm.

Until then the MG Cyberster is a fast, quiet and surprisingly relaxing way to see the world

roof down.

The Roadster has a sleek profile. Picture: Supplied.

MG Cyberster

PRICE: From about $100,000-$150,000 (estimated)

MOTOR: Single electric, 250kW/475Nm (Trophy), dual electric, 375kW/725Nm (GT), 77kWh battery

WARRANTY/SERVICING: Seven years/unlimited km

SAFETY: Front and side airbags, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, exit warning,

auto emergency braking, speed alert, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control

RANGE: 444-509km

LUGGAGE: 249 litres

CHARGING RATE: 144kW

SPARE: Repair kit

Originally published as MG Cyberster review: modern twist on a classic