MG Cyberster 2024 Review

Australia is receiving a single, highly specified variant of the 2024 MG Cyberster. So, there’s only one price, a rather significant $115,000 before on-road costs.

It represents a massive jump in the company’s aspirations considering the next MG model on the monetary scale is the $55,990 (before ORCs) MG4 XPOWER.

The MG Cyberster doesn’t really have any direct competition. On propulsion and price, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is close, but the South Korean rival offers a harder go-fast edge.

You could also go down the Tesla Model 3 Performance route if electrifying and electrified performance is a must-have.

However, if you require a small roadster with genuine dynamic chops, then the Mazda MX-5 GT RS is as close as you’ll get to pure drop-top nirvana for half the price.

The entry-level Porsche 718 Boxster also presents an interesting alternative if your budget is malleable and you care less about straight-line performance.

Only concept cars and supercars gain cool scissor doors, but not ‘affordable’ convertibles, right? Well, as it turns out, no.

The 2024 MG Cyberster is no longer a static showpiece, yet it has the dramatic doors. And of course, they’re electrically operated, too (as is the fabric roof). In fact, the entire aesthetic thankfully shuns retro vibes, instead presenting as a striking clean-sheet design that really showcases MG’s faith in its product.

Circular LED headlights and the lower split grille are two elements that hark back to the iconic MGB. Conversely, the arrow-shaped rear LED tail-lights are anything but cues to the past.

There’s a wind deflector to reduce buffeting at speed and the 20-inch Spiral Galaxy wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tyres, and backed by red Brembo brake calipers.

Other features include faux leather and Alcantara trim, heated, six-way electrically operated seats with lumbar and memory, a heated multi-function steering wheel covered in Nappa leather, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and ambient interior lighting.

The Cyberster is covered by MG’s impressive 10-year/250,000km warranty that currently also includes a year of free roadside assistance. Servicing is every 12 months or 25,000km (whichever comes first) and there’s also a seven-year anti-corrosion warranty.

The 2024 MG Cyberster is yet to be tested locally by ANCAP or globally with NCAP, hence it is currently unrated.

It’s fitted with driver, passenger and side airbags as well as a host of active safety systems including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, exit warning, adaptive cruise control and much more.

Integration of the safety tech isn’t facilitated as well as buyers might expect, and can be intrusive. The speed warning system particularly grates, and while you can switch the offending items off or reduce the audible warnings, it’s a bit of a faff to do so.

If you’re a fan of screens, then the 2024 MG Cyberster is your cup of tea.

Cocooning the view ahead is a large 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, which is accompanied either side by two 7.0-inch infotainment screens. The one on the left is for infotainment, while the right is predominately for the trip computer. A further 7.0-inch portrait style screen sits lower in the centre console to control things like climate control and driver assistance settings.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard but they aren’t wireless systems and require an older USB-A connection, which is odd for such a forward-thinking convertible EV. There’s also no wireless charging pad. Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation and a high-end, eight-speaker Bose audio system are fitted as standard as well as 12 months of remote smartphone connectivity, courtesy of iSmart.

Despite ample tech and a visual ‘wow’ factor, the screens flanking the central instrument cluster are rendered almost useless by the steering wheel. Placing your hands in the correct nine-and-three position further impedes the line of sight. The solution? Move to China and buy a Cyberster where it’s delivered with a Tesla-style yoke.

What’s more, the screens themselves aren’t overtly intuitive or fast responding.

Performance figures for modern cars are getting a bit crazy. The 2024 MG Cyberster is no different. For those who only care about headline figures, this is the car for you.

The pub-brag hero number for covering the 0-100km/h dash is just 3.2 seconds. Not only is the Cyberster the fastest accelerating MG, but finding a faster car to 100km/h will demand a much bigger spend than $115k.

How does it do it? The Cyberster is powered by dual synchronous electric motors – one on the front and one on the rear axle – for all-wheel drive traction. The front motor pumps out 150kW and 250Nm while the rear delivers 250kW and 475Nm. Combined, the MG produces an impressive 375kW and an earth-moving 725Nm.

It runs a single-speed transmission, meaning the overall top speed is relatively ‘low’ at 208km/h and the rate of progression slows the faster you go – no trucking your Cyberster to a German autobahn, then.

While the raw numbers are undoubtedly impressive, it takes time to comprehend the real-world sensation of being able to devour the road ahead as rapidly as the Cyberster does. When completing a proper launch-control assisted take-off, you better make sure the road ahead is clear.

The Cyberster has an obligatory launch-control feature as well as four driving modes comprising Comfort, Custom, Sport and Super Sport – the latter is engaged via a dedicated red button on the steering wheel.

Given the immediacy of the power delivery, the pedal on the right requires judicious application to achieve smoother driving.

Officially, the 2024 MG Cyberster has a WLTP-rated range of 443km – which is about average for a high-performing EV.

The motors draw power from a 77kWh (74.4kWh useable) ternary lithium battery pack. When using the full transfer rate of 144kWh, the Cyberster can recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 40 minutes. This time expands to 61 minutes using 50kWh and nine hours when charging at 11kWh.

AC wall chargers are available to be fitted at home, while another boon is the MG Cyberster’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

In the short period we were allotted the Cyberster we managed to cover about 200km and averaged 22.5kWh/100km. That’s significantly higher than MG’s claim of 16.8kWh/100km, but the driving conditions mostly comprised highways or fast-paced country roads.

We’ll test the range again in a more realistic daily/urban environment with a weekly booking in the future.

So, we’ve already discovered that the 2024 MG Cyberster goes like a scalded cat in a straight line. That box is well and truly ticked.

However, how it handles is important to its success as a halo for the Chinese brand. MG proclaims a perfect 50/50 weight distribution for the skateboard MSP architecture (shared with the MG4), which bodes well for its corner-carving ability.

Wind back the toupee-troubling tempo and there’s a refreshingly calm side to the Cyberster. Drop the roof in picturesque scenery and the package makes a lot more sense than you assume it might. Despite being a performance car, when acoustics are usually king, cruising along in silence is oddly satisfying.

The Pirelli P Zero tyres (245/40 R20 front and 275/35 R20 rear) offer high levels of grip, and the double-wishbone (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension setup returns a mostly comfortable ride quality despite being firm. The Cyberster’s sleek design hides its dimensions well – its bigger than a Porsche 718 Boxster – and the topless MG feels nimble on the road with quick steering.

However, if you’re sensing a ‘but’ coming, you’d be right. Despite running sophisticated suspension hardware, the Cyberster struggles to control its 1985kg mass. There’s a distinct lack of rebound control from the dampers, meaning the quick EV easily loses composure over poor surfaces, especially large undulations. It results in the suspension using up all its travel, and the jarring vertical movements upset the handling when driving spiritedly.

And while the Brembo stoppers offer brand-name cachet, the regenerative braking system provides a slightly inconsistent feel through the pedal. You can adjust the level of regeneration via the F1-style ‘KERS’ paddle shift, which also includes a provision for one-pedal driving, but the sensation is never totally organic.

The steering, too, is tailorable via three modes, yet none of them achieve Goldilocks status. The same could be said for the dynamic experience, particularly if you’re buying into this EV dream with the intention of enjoying the drive.

There’s an inescapable feeling that the Cyberster would be superior if it wasn’t hamstrung by weight and produced lower performance. It’s a shame the rear-wheel drive Trophy variant that’s available overseas isn’t slated to lob Down Under, because we found that to be the sweet spot on an international first drive.

This is where you rarely question the more than $100k price tag attached to the 2024 MG Cyberster. Play that old trick of covering the badges and ask a punter what brand the drop-top is, many would jump to a European marque.

It’s all about those electrically operated scissor doors. They really are a spectacle and create an event out of sliding behind the wheel or alighting from the Cyberster. Adding to the experience is the wrap-around digital cockpit and the central screen which is angled towards the driver.

The show continues with the electronically operated fabric roof, which takes around 10 seconds to raise or stow – both can be performed on the move. The cabin is even relatively quiet with the roof up, and calm enough with it dropped.

However, there are a few gripes. The main being the high seating position which one assumes is due to the battery cells underneath your posterior. If you’re used to the low-slung nature of a Porsche Boxster, or even a Mazda MX-5, then you’ll be annoyed you can’t sit lower.

Those doors might look great and have damage-preventing sensors, but they’re also quite slow in operation. The large A pillar also generates a front-three-quarter blind spot, and there aren’t many storage options. Yet, that could be said for any small two-seat convertible – notably, the Mazda MX-5.

Speaking of the mighty Mazda, its 130-litre boot is no match for the Cyberster’s 249-litre luggage capacity. There’s no spare tyre to speak of, just a can of goo. If you’re hoping the EV platform has liberated more space for a ‘frunk’, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Lift the bonnet and all there is to see are swathes of black plastic with peep holes for essential maintenance points.

The 2024 MG Cyberster is a bespoke proposition. There isn’t really anything else like it on the market right now, and trying to ascertain the target buyer for the sexy drop-top EV is difficult.

Dig deeper than the mere theatre and novelty of the all-out Cyberster and there’s a lack of composure right when you want the MG to raise its dynamic level. To repeat, it’s a shame the Trophy version isn’t currently coming to Australia.

Ultimately, the more than $100k sticker is a lot to ask for the modern interpretation of the iconic MGB. However, the staggering pace, jaw-dropping drama, long warranty and quality interior make it largely justifiable for a GT-style convertible EV. It’s certainly a unique way to go topless and celebrate a century in the business.

2024 MG Cyberster at a glance:
Price:?$115,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available:?Now
Powertrain:?Two permanently excited synchronous electric motors
Combined output:?375kW/725Nm
Transmission:?Single-speed transmission
Battery:?77kWh Ternary Lithium (74.4kWh useable)
Range:?443km (WLTP)
Energy consumption:?16.8kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating:?Not tested

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