2026 MG Cyberster review

MG was renowned for its open-topped sports cars during its British-owned years, with the likes of the MG TC and MGB now sought-after classics.

When Chinese conglomerate SAIC bought the brand in 2007, however, connections to that sporty heritage largely went out the window in favour of affordable motoring.

It’s no surprise, then, that the MG Cyberster met with scepticism. How dare they try to recapture the marque’s pedigree – in an electric vehicle of all things – and charge $100,000 for the privilege. The audacity!

But when the first images emerged, no one could deny the Cyberster’s gorgeous lines, courtesy of MG UK designers Carl Gotham and Joscha Thielen.

Does the Cyberster stand up to scrutiny as a $100k+ convertible roadster? That’s what Open Road set out to determine. 

How much does the 2026 MG Cyberster cost?

The Cyberster comes in two model grades: the RWD for $99,900 (before on-road costs) and the AWD for $115,000.

As a performance roadster convertible around the $100k mark, and an EV to boot, the Cyberster has few apples-with-apples competitors.

The most natural comparison would have been the BMW Z4, which retailed for $85,000-$125,000, but it was discontinued in Australia earlier this year. The Audi TT convertible? Nope, that’s gone, too. The Mercedes CLE Cabriolet retails for $113,546 before on-roads, although it has two small rear seats and the Cyberster has none. The same goes for the BMW 4 Series convertible, which is around the same price.

At the other end of the scale is the Mazda MX-5 convertible, which has two seats and rear-wheel drive, but is about half the price of the Cyberster and has a fraction of the power. The Mini Cooper JCW convertible? Front-wheel drive, four seats, not really the same thing.

The upcoming Polestar 6 will offer a drop-top and AWD EV performance, but with a rumoured starting price of $285,000, it’s hardly a like-for-like comparison, either.

For now, then, the Cyberster remains in a category of its own.

What is the 2026 MG Cyberster like inside?

Open the cool and stylish but impractical scissor doors and you’re presented with MG’s interpretation of a high-end performance vehicle interior.

The seat and dashboard leather (plus suede in the AWD) give an immediate luxury feel and the general aesthetics are pleasing, although no one is going to mistake it for a Lamborghini (or even a Lexus) interior. The shiny steering wheel leather has an unexpected tackiness – you sort of have to peel your fingers off it during general driving – but this characteristic makes more sense when you’re testing what the Cyberster can do (more on that below).

Soon after you get settled in, the vehicle says “Hi friend” in a stilted voice and then commences a monologue about the time, date, weather, and the importance of watching the road. It’s not what you’d call sophisticated.

The wrap-around infotainment screen in the driver-focused dashboard is an immediate attention grabber. But in short order it warrants attention for the wrong reasons, because the driver’s hands and the steering wheel partially obscure the left and right touchscreen sections of the three-segment display. This means an obstructed view of sat nav, music, phone connections, media, general settings and (when you’re in reverse) the rear-view camera. To see them properly you have to tilt your head like a magpie. It’s just ill-considered design. 

Other settings are controlled via the centre console touchscreen, which is much more convenient, and there are dedicated touch-sensitive switches for the basic air conditioning controls (except recirculation).

Each cup holder has a little button inset into its side. When you push this, the bottom of the cup holder rises up to create a flat surface flush with the rest of the console. Beside that is a slot for your phone, along with one USB-A and one USB-C port. The switch to open and close the folding roof is right in the centre of everything – a well-considered touch – and accompanied by two more switches to open and close the doors. Both roof and doors open and close quickly and smoothly, adding to the Cyberster’s premium credentials.

Strike one against scissor doors occurs if you attempt to adjust the seat position with the door open, because the switches are sideways and way above your head. They are the Mercedes-inspired switches that MG reserves for its premium vehicles, though, and the seats themselves are just right – well bolstered and comfortable, with a memory function. Cabin space isn’t bad at all for a two-seater convertible and there’s a narrow storage nook behind the seats.

The boot is reasonably long (certainly bigger than the Mazda MX-5’s) but quite shallow – good for one large suitcase or maybe some sports gear. Not surprisingly, neither RWD nor AWD has a spare wheel.

What equipment does the 2026 MG Cyberster come with?

Beyond additional power and an all-wheel-drive powertrain, very little separates the two Cyberster models in specification.

The RWD comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights and taillights, keyless entry and start, Nappa leather seats and steering wheel, ambient lighting, interior sound effects (more on that below), a 10.25-inch driver display flanked by two seven-inch touchscreens, a seven-inch console touchscreen, electrically adjustable and heated side mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, electrically adjustable seats with heating and memory function, dual-zone climate control, voice controls, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, satellite navigation, digital radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (although it refused to connect in our test vehicle for some reason).

Aside from an extra motor, paying the AWD’s $15,000 price hike buys you 20-inch alloy wheels and Alcantara seat upholstery with faux-leather bolsters.

Our test vehicle was decked out in English White paint and Century Red interior – a polarising combination that serves as a nod to the MGs of yesteryear. The interior is alternatively available the less garish Victory Grey, ($1000) while cost-option exterior colours include Sterling Silver, Camden Grey, Diamond Red, Royal Yellow and Mayfair Blue ($1000-$1200).

The Cyberster is covered by MG’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, or you can extend it to 10 years/250,000km if you agree to MG’s servicing terms.

How safe is the 2026 MG Cyberster?

The MG Cyberster has not been crash-tested and doesn’t have an ANCAP rating. Safety equipment is extensive, however, and includes all the expected lane keeping, anti-collision, and emergency braking technology. It’s an MG, so overspeed alert dings do feature, but mercifully they’re very subdued. There’s also a door open warning function, which is really more necessity than inclusion given the side mirror is pointing at the sky when you’re exiting the car. Scissor doors do come in handy, however, if the person in the spot next to you parks too close as they require very little clearance.

What powers the 2026 MG Cyberster?

Both models of the MG Cyberster have a 77kWh ternary lithium battery. In the RWD version this powers a motor producing 250kW of power and 475Nm of torque. In the AWD model, it sends juice to two electric motors for a total output of 375kW/725Nm and a 0-100km/h time of just 3.2 seconds (compared to 5.2 for the RWD).

All that extra power in the AWD model comes at a modest cost to range, with the RWD good for 507km (WLTP) compared to the AWD’s 443km. Energy consumption is rated at 19.1kWh/100km for the AWD.

When it’s time to replenish the battery, the MG Cyberster offers 11kW AC charging and up to 144kW DC charging. Plugged into a 150kW public fast charger, the Cyberster will go from zero to 80 per cent in about 45 minutes.
 

What is the 2026 MG Cyberster like to drive?

The electronic gear shifter is one of those silly form-over-function arrangements that consists of multiple buttons and switches, so initially you can never remember whether you’re supposed to press, push or pull. There’s no on/off switch, either; you just get in and go or put it in park and get out.

Three driving modes are on offer – Comfort, Sport and Super Sport – or you can customise various settings to taste. Super Sport produces eye-popping straight-line acceleration, and the running gear handles all that EV muscle admirably (especially in the AWD).

Put it on a driving road and the Cyberster remains composed and ironing-board flat in corners, its low centre of gravity and wide Pirelli tyres delivering a ride-on-rails feel. Linear steering and the tacky steering wheel leather provide further confidence in bends, although the Cyberster’s 1985kg kerb weight does want to drift sideways if you really push it in a long corner. The Brembo brakes do an excellent job of shaving off speed.

Interestingly, Sport and Comfort modes rein in the Cyberster’s acceleration by degrees, giving it a calmer disposition – handy during suburban commuting and parking manoeuvres.

The only dynamic weak point is the comfort-biased five-link rear suspension. When the Cyberster encounters a bump at speed – pretty much inevitable on an Australian country road – the body hops like a jackrabbit. Likely the aim was to imbue the Cyberster with ride comfort for grand tourer credentials, but the lack of stiffer or adaptive suspension detracts from its sportiness during a spirited drive. Little wonder suspension upgrades are a hot topic on Cyberster forums.

The ‘Engine and Motor Sound Experience’ is a speaker-generated hum that simulates combustion engine revs. Although this feels naff during regular driving, it does add a touch of theatre when you’re zipping from corner to corner on a winding road. Then again, buying an EV and wishing it made engine noise is like buying a pet snake and wishing it could bark. 

Open Road’s take on the 2026 MG Cyberster

The MG Cyberster is one of those frustrating cars that has a litany of endearing qualities but doesn’t quite cohere as a package. Despite some deserved criticisms, the fact is it offers a lot more power than the Mazda MX-5, it’s a sight cheaper than most other roadster convertibles on the market, and while hot hatches can match it in the bends, they can’t deliver its drop-top fun. Even if it is overpriced, the Cyberster remains something of a unicorn in the Aussie market, and a loveable one at that.