2026 MG Cyber X 4x4 SUV arrives

The 2026 MG Cyber X concept has been officially unveiled at the 2025 Shanghai motor show ahead of its global launch in the next two years.

Created to rival the likes of the Land Rover Defender, Jeep Wrangler and even the $250,000+ Mercedes G-Class, although size-wise the Cyber X will probably be a better match for the inbound battery-powered baby g-Class that Benz is readying.

The cuboid design features a delicious throwback to 1980s automotive styling, with pop-up headlights emerge from the body then retract when not in use to improve aerodynamic efficiency, adding a big dose of nostalgia.

Slovak automotive design veteran Jozef Kaban, whose impressive résumé includes stints at Volkswagen, BMW and Rolls-Royce, crafted the Cyber X after joining SAIC in April 2024 to lead MG's design direction.

The second model after the Cyberster sports car created for the Chinese-owned Cyber sub-brand that aims squarely at younger buyers, but when it launches the Cyber X will also introduce MG's latest tech.

Featuring a boxy new look with ultra-short overhangs for better off-road capability the all-electric MG Cyber X is primed to be among the first vehicles to be based on the SAIC Motor parent's E3 all-electric architecture.

Introducing a cell-to-body (CTB) construction, the Cyber X should be much lighter than other equivalent EVs as the battery is used as a structural component to save weight and complexity.

The same tech will also liberate space within the cabin and maximise ground clearance that, along with new all-wheel drive hardware and torque vectoring could see the rugged Cyber X be among the most capable in its emerging all-electric 4x4 class.

No pictures have been released of the new Cyber X cabin, but we know Smartphone giant Oppo co-developed the cockpit and connectivity systems so it'll have plenty of compute.

Expect the chunky exterior design to translate into a cabin as well, aping the Defender and G-Class with plenty of sturdy grab handles included for serious off-roading.

It's expected the MG Cyber X will reappear at a future motor show to give us a look at the cabin and full details of the production version's powertrain.

Once green lit for production the MG Cyber X is a hot chance for Australia and along with the arrival of the U9 ute and the seven-seat QS SUV and up to five IM-branded vehicles could help the brand achieve its aim of becoming a top three best-selling brand in Australia by 2030.