I took the convertible, scissor-door MG Cyberster on a holiday – and it was hands down the funnest EV I’ve ever driven
The Cyberster is not designed for runs to the shop, nor is it made for families, towing trailers or as a quick runabout. It’s not a particularly useful car at all – but it is undeniably the most special EV that I’ve ever driven.
This roadster is unique in every way. Somehow a company that’s today associated with cheap cars and fairly average styling has offered something refreshingly new to the automotive world. Two seats, a convertible roof, all-wheel drive (or RWD for the cheaper model) and fitted with scissor doors, the Cyberster is a car whose purpose is to be enjoyed. True to MG fashion, it’s also priced exceptionally well, and it’s frankly a shame that US customers are missing out on this beauty due to tariffs on Chinese EV manufacture.It’s a satisfyingly fast car and it handles exceptionally well on the road. This said, the Cyberster is built more for cruising: it’s not destined for the track, it’s intended for winery trips and to spa resorts. Popping the roof down and driving this car through leafy tree-covered roads is where it hits its stride.
There is however a subtle veneer of cheapness remaining with the Cyberster. For example, being priced in luxury territory, the Cyberster retains a similar OS to that of the MG4 – a common target of criticism among owners of the hatchback for its lack of user-friendliness. At this kind of price point, I would have liked the OS to look a bit cleaner, and for features like lane keeping and smart cruise control to be more responsive and reliable.
To put this into perspective, MG is currently gearing up to launch its luxury IM sub-brand (similar to Toyota’s Lexus) in some markets, and while those cars will be priced well into the premium range, they’ll also be fitted with the tech, software and the specs to justify it – in particular, a much more premium-looking OS.
Additionally, there are aspects of the Cyberster that remain a bit tech demo-ey. There are four displays in the car, some of which are obscured by the steering wheel when in use – an odd choice in a vehicle that’s otherwise built to be quite driver-focused. Charging speed is also unimpressive for the segment with the Cyberster going from 10% to 80% in just under 40 minutes (a shame, given how pioneering the charging rate of the far-cheaper MG4 is), though its battery range is perfectly serviceable for a well-planned holiday.
Finally, and this is obviously subjective, the Cyberster has some pretty wild styling choices. The arrowed brake lights and light bar across the back are extremely unique and may be a bit too out there for some prospective owners. The same goes for its cockpit-like driver’s seat and unique rims.
All this for how much?
|
Specs |
MG Cyberster |
|---|---|
|
Country of origin |
China (designed in the UK) |
|
Price |
RWD: £54,995 / AU$99,900 AWD: £59,995 / AU$115,000 |
|
Range (WLTP) |
RWD: 507km / 316mi AWD: 443km / 275mi |
|
Battery size |
77kWh |
|
Power / torque |
RWD: 250kW / 475Nm AWD: 375kW / 725Nm |
|
Maximum charging capacity |
11kW AC / 144kW DC |
|
Drivetrain |
RWD / AWD |
|
Dimensions |
4,535mm L x 1,913mm W x 1,329mm H |
|
Boot capacity |
249L |
There’s no denying that the MG Cyberster is an absolute head turner. Never in my three years as an EV reviewer have I had a car get so many looks and stares in public as this machine. And why wouldn’t it? There’s not a single thing about the Cyberster that’s boring.
Its front end is gorgeous, its side profile makes it look like a futuristic concept car, and its kammback rear end is particularly unique. The roof tucks away into its own compartment, but remains visible when folded down, giving an extra bit of colour to the Cyberster’s profile.
The scissor doors, which open by rising upwards, are activated by buttons under the center screen. As you get out of the car, you press a button on the lower inside of the door for putting it back down and, when re-entering, you just press another button on the outside for them to open (or rise) again.
No handles! Where the interior door handles would normally be are the seat-adjustment buttons, which are quite easy to bump if your knees are pressed against them. Opening or closing, the doors take around 5 seconds to get the job done.
There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but only wired. There’s a slot for your phone to fit into and room for a cable to run neatly from the center compartment to your handset. The screens, though there are four of them, aren’t very big, and are all angled towards the driver while not being intrusive on the experience.
The screens are a bit overkill and take away from the casual luxury experience you may desire, making this car look more at home on a trade show floor and less comfortable when driving through a valley.
The screen on the right is exclusively for driving stats – stuff like efficiency and power-draw sources – along with surround cameras when parking. Stylistically this is fine, but the top of the steering wheel obscures three of the screens – an annoyance that doesn’t exist in the Chinese variant of the Cyberster that uses a yoke-style wheel (at the obvious cost of having fewer places to grip when driving).
In the middle is the instrument cluster display, and on the left is the infotainment system where your map will be shown. The display in the center of the car is used for air conditioning and tweaking the car’s settings.
For your passenger, there’s a grab handle near the middle screen, perfect if they want something to hold when the car is moving really fast.
It’s mostly a refreshing layout: there’s no wireless charge pad, and because phone infotainment is cable-only, there are no dropouts (unless you have a dodgy cable). I’ve previously written about the problems with wireless charging in cars, and this is the best solution yet. Why bother with it in the first place?
It’s a shame that the driving experience is dulled by the car’s cheap-feeling OS. It’s slow, it’s not particularly nice to look at and is just not very fitting for its price point – though these problems admittedly faded to the back of my mind while cruising.
That being said, most of your time driving this car will either be spent with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto open, so you’ll rarely need to interact with the integrated settings unless you want to tweak driving feel or climate. It quickly became a non-issue for me, especially with so many other cool things going for the Cyberster.
The big red button
If you’re after the best performance, you’ll want to press the big red ‘Super Sport’ button on the steering wheel. This removes the power cap on the motors and lets you speed the AWD model up to 0-100km/h in only 3.2 seconds (5 seconds with the RWD model). You’ll only ever press this button when entering a highway, starting from a full stop or, if allowed, driving on a racetrack, and it doesn’t really represent casual driving well – but gosh is it fun. It’s a lovely agile car too, with different options for steering sensitivity and regenerative braking.
Adding to the fun is launch control. Flick the car into Super Sport and put your feet down on both pedals – when ready to go, raise your foot off the brake and you’ll feel an exceptional acceleration the likes of which I’ve never experienced before.
But although the Cyberster is a more-than-capable car at speed, it’s much more fun as a cruiser. Simply driving on leafy roads or through cities with the roof down is thrilling enough, and with that in mind I reckon the RWD is probably the better option for most people.
The fabric roof, which is available in different colors, tucks in behind the seats but stays visible, adding a tertiary color to the Cyberster when the roof is down (a detail I love). The roof moves up and down, taking 15 seconds to complete its action in either direction.
Naturally there’s not much room in the boot for anything, though a friend and I were able to put in luggage for two people over a four-day holiday. There’s also a handy netted section behind the seats for tucking a book, hat, bottle, coat or small umbrella in case you need any of them. Additional storage compartments are in the center armrest and under the instrument cluster, plus the glovebox. There’s no frunk, though I’m not sold on the need for a trunk on the front of a car.
Some things are off
I’ve already touched on the displays and how they make the car look quite sci-fi, but there are a few other aspects of the Cyberster that feel a tad hit and miss.
Of particular note to me is the DC recharging rate – up to 144kW, the same maximum input as the MG4. It’s not slow – don’t get me wrong – and it’s above the paltry 60-80kW figure you’ll see from some mid-range models, but to put things into perspective, the much cheaper Hyundai Ioniq 5 can charge at up to 233kW. The even cheaper XPeng G6 can charge at up to 280kW.
Admittedly these are larger cars with bigger batteries, but it does sadden me to see such an expensive car charge at this rate, though it’s admittedly not alone in having this problem. The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, for example, only charges at 150kW with a similar price to the Cyberster.
Aesthetically this car is extremely futuristic in my favorite ways, but I feel it’s not for everyone. You’ve got this exceptionally sleek side profile, a truly unique rear end and then a more toned-down front end, looking a bit Porsche- and Ferrari-esque. It’s not bad looking by any stretch, but some might feel it’s either too futuristic or not enough when you look at it up close.
Internally, as it’s a roadster, there isn’t a lot of space, and a person with a larger frame would likely struggle to get comfortable. You’re not given as much freedom to put your seat back, so you’ll need to deal with your legs being forward to at least some degree. Again, this isn’t unique for a car of this type, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Finally, and this is probably the most minor criticism that I could make, there is no hardtop version. While the roof successfully insulated my passenger and me from the rain, a metallic roof would give a greater peace of mind than a fabric that can rip. I can’t speak to the likelihood of this happening, but it might be preferential among some owners to have a hardtop convertible, where the only leaks that could arise are from dodgy seals. The incoming Cyberster GTS appears to be what I’d hoped for, minus being a convertible.
An escaped concept car
The MG Cyberster feels like what any other company would simply leave as a demo – too weird and futuristic for the real world, so best to show off at an event and never put into production.
Instead, this is the car MG has created to celebrate its 100th anniversary, spanning its British heritage and its acquisition by Chinese automaker Saic in 2007. And it’s a remarkable creation that I’ve honestly fallen in love with.
Call it clickbait, but I can’t think of a more fun EV in the world than this thing. Shortcomings on software and charging times aside, the Cyberster is special and I’m so glad it exists. My hope is that it’ll be successful, but obviously it’s an exceptionally niche product that I don’t expect to ship anywhere near as many units as MG’s other vehicles.
EVs have fallen into a lull in recent years, with only the likes of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5N really focused on bringing the fun factor. Breaking apart from the Ioniq 5N’s compromise on fun and practicality, the Cyberster goes all-in on excitement. It’s all thrills.
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بتاريخ:2025-05-11 02:00:00
الكاتب:[email protected] (Zachariah Kelly)
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