2024 MG Cyberster review: Does this sexy two-seat roadster have the goods to take on Porsche and BMW?

December 1, 2024November 30, 2024 Toby Hagon 1262 Views 0 Comments Cyberster, mg

Think MG and images of quaint British sports cars are conjured up

Which is what makes the 2024 MG Cyberster so exciting for fans of the brand.

The Cyberster is the closest the modern Chinese-owned MG has come to reviving its sports car heritage.

But the Cyberster attacks the sports car formula differently, eschewing a petrol engine for electric motors.

2024 MG Cyberster price and equipment

The modern MG has built a reputation on budget-priced small and medium cars.

For those looking at the mainstream formula it’s proven a tempting proposition.

But the Cyberster is aiming much higher and is part of a broader plan to position MG as more of a premium player.

The Cyberster is priced from $115,000 plus on-road costs, placing it head-to-head with some highly-fancied sports car competition, including the BMW Z4, Toyota Supra and Porsche 718 Boxster.

Arguably the coolest part of the Cyberster is its scissor doors, which open at the press of a button.

You can pre-set the maximum height and there are integrated radars to stop them crunching into something on the way up. Don’t stand too close to the doors because sometimes they’ll think there’s an object in their way.

The roof also folds electronically at up to 50km/h, taking 15 seconds to do so.

The Cyberster also gets 20-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres, Alcantara and fake leather trim, heated seats and steering wheel, 360-degree camera, ambient lighting and an eight-speaker Bose sound system.

There are also four screens; three as part of the wraparound instrument cluster and a fourth to look after ventilation and detailed settings.

It all sounds pretty fancy, although the two outer screens are obscured by the steering wheel and the reversing camera isn’t overly clear.

And there’s no volume dial, so you’re toggling the joysticks on the steering wheel to adjust that – and sort things such as cruise control and other functions.

We couldn’t help but think a more traditional layout with one bigger screen would have done a better job.

Kudos to the presentation elsewhere, though because the cabin and materials certainly look and feel upmarket.

And protection is right up there for owners. The 10-year, 250,000km warranty covers the whole car including the 77kWh ternary lithium high-voltage battery.

2024 MG Cyberster: What we think

Sports cars are supposed to be fast and/or fun to drive and the MG Cyberster delivers on that front.

There are two electric motors. The front one makes 150kW/250Nm and the rear 250kW/475Nm.

Combined they can pump out 375kW and 725Nm.

To put that in perspective, the most potent Porsche Boxster – with a 4.0-litre horizontally-opposed six-cylinder – makes 358kW and 450Nm.

No surprises, then, that the Cyberster is a jet off the line. It’s claimed to take 3.2 seconds to hit 100km/h and there’s not much reason to doubt that. It’ll match pace with many supercars for initial acceleration.

However, its top speed is less impressive, topping out at 208km/h.

In short, it’s brutally effective at shoving you back in your seat.

And with all-wheel drive it does a great job of getting the power to the ground with little fuss.

But – and yes there’s a but – it’s a solid thing, tipping the scales at 1985kg.

Yep, almost two tonnes for a two-seater sports car. That’s more than half a tonne heavier than the Porsche referenced earlier.

And that weight impacts how the Cyberster drives.

Its suspension is relatively taut but it still struggles to contain all those kilos.

Fire it into successive corners and it can flop around and keep those sticky Pirellis busy trying to keep everything in check.

It’s great as a cruiser, but less effective as a sports car.

And you can forget about the lithe MGs of yesteryear. The Cyberster is a very different beast.

With the sun shining and the occasional prod of the throttle in a straight line, though, the Cyberster delivers the smiles and thrills.

It’s fun, albeit lacking in sports car engagement.

That translates to other elements, too.

The claimed consumption rate is 16.8kWh/100km, but you may struggle to achieve that given the weight and a hefty use of the right foot. The battery pack can be fast charged at up to 144kW DC and recharged at up 10 11kW AC.

Then there’s doors. They are a fantastic talking point that make for great theatre.

But they take longer to open and close than the car takes to hit 100km/h. The novelty soon wears off.

2024 MG Cyberster: Verdict

It all adds up to a car that looks the business and delivers on straight line thrills, but one that lacks some sports car pizazz.

It’s a car that turns heads better than it turns corners.

One for the purists? Possibly, but more likely it will appeal to the fashionista looking for the latest and greatest in the sports car ether.

Votes: 3/5

2024 MG Cyberster price and specifications

Price: $115,000 plus on-road costs
Basics: EV, 2 seats, 2 doors, sports car, AWD
Range: 443km (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 77kWh
Battery warranty: 10 years/250,000km
Energy consumption: 16.8kWh/100km
Motors: 1 front 150kW/250Nm and 1 rear 250kW/475Nm, combined 375kW/725Nm
AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 144kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 3.2 seconds