REVIEW: MG Cyberster is electric showbiz

MG’s on-again, off-again relationship with SA over the years saw the brand reintroduced in 2011 for a short while before quitting the market in 2016.

Owned by Chinese automotive giant SAIC since 2007, the formerly British brand returned to SA earlier this year with a much larger presence, starting with 44 dealers and another six to be opened before the end of 2025.

At launch it introduced a pair of petrol-powered SUVs (the ZS and HS) and the Cyberster roadster, and last week MG Motor SA bolstered the line-up with the MG 3 compact hatch. The Cyberster is sold with a seven-year/200,000km warranty and five-year/100,000km service plan.

The exclusive Cyberster is the one that looks most like the earlier cars associated with the marque, and like the MG A and MG B of old, it is a two-seater convertible roadster.

Back in the day MGs were considered poor man’s sports cars and, at a price of R1,399,900, the Cyberster continues the tradition. Yes, we live in a time where R1.4m is considered a “budget” machine in its segment if you consider that some supercars cost more than R10m.

The Cyberster arguably justifies its price tag in sheer presence, and swung heads wherever we drove it. There’s showbiz in its low-slung stance, arrow-shaped tail lights and theatrical scissor doors which open electrically at the touch of a button. It wouldn’t look out of place arriving at a star-studded gala alongside much pricier Ferraris and Lambos.

Beneath the exotic plumage is some decent performance provided by dual electric motors — one at each axle to make it all-wheel drive and whipping out 375kW and 725Nm.

It is silent and swift in the typical linear, step-free fashion of electric cars, with no gears to create hesitations or pauses. A 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.2 seconds generates intense g-forces and places the Cyberster in the category of cars such as the R3.36m Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, though the MG’s 208km/h top speed is much lower than the Porsche’s 308km/h.

There is no acoustic excitement from the electric motors, but a digitised sporty sound plays through the speakers when the Super Sport mode is activated. It’s selected by a red button on the multifunction steering and generates more spirited acceleration than the Comfort or Sport settings.

Handling-wise, the Cyberster is an agile machine that changes direction swiftly and feels grippy through fast turns. With a low centre of gravity facilitated by the batteries being mounted in the floor, the car has the quick-turning nature of a mid-engined car. With all-wheel drive and stability control, you can safely punch the power early out of corners without sliding the tail out.

For a sports car the ride is relatively comfortable, but a low ride height causes the Cyberster to scrape on bumpy roads and sharply angled driveways. The car feels sturdily built and the lack of a solid roof doesn’t cause excessive body judder. The soft top is electric, and is able to be opened and closed while driving at low speeds.

The cabin’s an exotic mix of colours and textures and comes fully kitted with high-end features. On a dashboard that curves around the driver is mounted a central infotainment screen, digital instrument panel and a digital screen to the right of the steering wheel. There are few physical buttons and the ultra-modern digital interface takes a little while getting used to.

The compact two-seater cockpit is roomy enough it you’re up to about 1.8m tall, but larger people may struggle to get comfy behind the wheel. The 249l boot is spacious for a compact two-seat roadster and will take a golf bag.

As is common in modern cars, overzealous driver-assistance features can become a bugbear. There is a raft of these safety systems which default to their “on” position every time you start the car. To disable the oversensitive lane-keeping assist each time, I had to dig into a digital menu as there’s no quick-access switch.

The Cyberster is destined be a niche seller, not least because of the unpopularity of EVs in SA due to range anxiety and long charging times. MG claims a maximum driving range of up to 443km, and in a mixture of town and freeway driving the test car delivered about 400km. Not bad, and if you can find a 150kW DC rapid charger it has an estimated charging time (10% to 80%) of about 40 minutes, according to MG. 

I used an 80kW DC charger at a mall which took one hour to juice the test car from 34% to 94%. The waiting time is a pain compared with the couple of minutes it takes to fuel up a petrol car, but owning an EV can be less of a fuss depending on your circumstances, for instance if you charge it at home overnight, or at work.

The Cyberster is a delightful toy with exotic styling, thrilling performance and a storied badge.

Some may balk at paying R1.4m for an MG, but considering it costs less than half the price of a similarly powered Porsche, it might be considered a sports car bargain.