MG Cyberster

After debuting in India with the Hector in 2019, MG has comfortably established itself as a popular mass-premium brand. However, one key difference for MG in the Indian market has been the absence of its globally praised halo models. In early 2025, MG decided to change it by unveiling the luxurious M9 people mover and the spirited MG Cyberster convertible roof sportscar at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo.

Both models are the first to be sold through MG’s Select range of showrooms, and the Cyberster targets those who want something exciting. With its aggressive design and sporty underpinnings, it aspires to offer the thrill of cars that cost over twice the price..

But can it really deliver on its aspirations? I spent a day with the MG Cyberster to find out.

Design And Build Quality

First impressions? The Cyberster turns heads like nothing else. During the period I was with it, a few people approached me and queried as to what it was, wanting to learn more. It's not often that you come across a car that piques your attention so quickly, particularly at this pricing.

There is a lot in the Cyberster’s design that makes it stand out, especially the powered scissor doors. Open them in a public space and you are guaranteed to draw attention. Both doors open and close at the touch of a button and there are sensors built into the doors that help prevent any accident in their operation. But there is more to this car than just the fancy doors.

The front looks clean and beautiful. It has narrow LED headlights that are complemented by petal-shaped LED daytime running lights. Along with the wide grille, it gives the car a distinctive smiling face that adds character to the front design.The bonnet has strong creases that makes the front appear even longer.

From the side, the Cyberster sits low and wide and this is the profile that brings out the Cyberster’s classic roadster proportions. The roofline flows neatly into the rear, and the 20-inch wheels fill the arches well, making the car look proportioned.

The rear design of the Cyberster ties the overall look together. It gets a full-width LED light bar that runs across the tail and adds a sense of width without feeling overdone. It also gets arrow-shaped LED tail lights that are quite eye-catching, although in my view, the design would have looked cleaner without them.

The overall build quality is also impressive. There are no noticeable panel gaps. The doors feel hefty and robust and both the bonnet and the boot lid also feel strong and well damped.

It also gets an electronically operated soft-top roof that folds neatly into the body. It can be opened and closed in around 10 seconds and it works smoothly and quietly enough. It can also be operated at speeds of up to 50kmph.

It gets a total of four exterior colours:

• Flare Red with black roof

• Nuclear Yellow with black roof

• Modern Beige with red roof

• Andes Grey with red roof

While all the colour options look unique and elegant, it is the Nuclear Yellow and Flare Red that grab the most eyeballs.

Design And Build Quality

If the exterior looks sporty, the cabin takes that feeling even further. It wraps around you like a proper cockpit, with everything angled towards the driver. It is clear that MG has focused heavily on delivering a driver-centric experience and from a design perspective, there is little to complain about. 

You sit low, the dashboard sits high, and the triple-screen layout curves inwards to keep all key information within easy view. In most situations, the screens are crisp and easy to read; but, when the roof is down and there is stark sunshine, the brightness feels lacking and all the information becomes difficult to read.

It gets a flat-bottom steering wheel that has a dual-tone suede leather finish. The steering features a red circular ‘Super Sport’ button that can be used to access MG's version of launch control,  thus making it easier to launch the car without having to navigate through the menus.

Like the dashboard, the rest of the cabin too feels rich with a mix of leather, suede, and soft-touch plastics. While most of its functions can be accessed through screens, there are also a few physical toggles and switches for essentials like drive modes and regenerative braking levels, all of which have a nice tactile feel.

Seats

In typical roadster fashion, the Cyberster gets only two seats. These are snug, supportive sport seats, which suit the car’s performance-focused nature. I am about six feet tall and found the driving position to be spot on, with enough legroom and just about adequate headroom even with the roof up. 

However, my colleague, who stands over 6.5 feet tall, found it difficult to get comfortable. His knees were grazing against the steering column, and his head brushed against the roof. This, however, is not uncommon for compact sportscars as models like the Porsche Cayman/Boxster also feel cramped for exceptionally tall users.

The cushioning is firm but not uncomfortable, and will be good over longer drives. The seats offer a good list of features, including powered adjustment, ventilation, heating, and memory functions with a welcome retract feature. Visibility is fairly good for a low-slung car, though the thick pillars at the back limit the rearward view. 

What’s odd is the manually adjustable inside rearview mirror, which feels out of place in an otherwise premium cabin. As you might imagine, it also does not provide a complete view of the rear, which means you will rely heavily on the camera system when parking or reversing. Getting in and out is easier than expected, but it still requires a bit of a duck and slide as is typical to roadsters.

Storage And Practicality

This is not a car built for utility, and it does not pretend to be. Cabin storage is minimal and limited to the essentials. There is a small glovebox that opens via a button, a cubby hole on the central tunnel, a pair of cupholders, and a bit of space under the armrest. 

Given the way the scissor doors open, the only storage area is a small pocket with a closable lid that can store only sundry items like a wallet or powerbank. 

Charging Options

While it skimps on practicality, the charging options it gets are more than adequate. It is equipped with a wireless charging pad placed conveniently in the central console and it holds the phone securely even during spirited driving. In addition, there are both USB type-A and type-C ports available for both occupants that allow for both wired phone charging and media connectivity.

Features

The MG Cyberster features a driver-focused triple-screen setup inside the cabin. This setup includes a 10.25-inch screen in the middle, with two 7-inch screens on either side. While the layout looks modern,  the side screens are hidden by the steering wheel, which makes it tough to see some info while driving.

The leftmost of the three screens is a 7-inch infotainment system that has a sharp display and works with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay which ran without any hiccups when I used the car. But one major issue that I faced was that the user interface (UI) is not particularly intuitive. Often, I had to search through different menus to find basic settings, and it took me some while getting used to it.

Unlike the other two screens in the MG Cyberster, the third screen feels far more purposeful. Tucked to the side, it displays genuinely useful information like weather updates, charging status, range, and even time-related details such as the current time, how long the car has been charging, and how much time is left for a full charge. The interface is clean and easy to read, with a layout that actually makes sense at a glance.

A separate touchscreen sits below the infotainment system to control the climate inside the car. This layout keeps the dashboard tidy and minimalistic, but I found it tricky to use. Simple tasks like adjusting the temperature or fan speed proved challenging while driving. Physical buttons would have made these operations easier.

Mated to the touchscreen is an 8-speaker Bose sound system that left a strong impression on me. It produces clear well-balanced audio with crisp vocals and solid bass.

The MG Cyberster is yet to be crash tested either globally or by Bharat NCAP and hence its real-world crash performance remains unknown. 

It is equipped with essential safety features including four airbags, 360-degree camera, electronic stability control (ESC), a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and front and rear parking sensors. It also gets a Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) suite with amenities such as adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation assist.

The MG Cyberstar gets around 250 litres of boot space and the usable space stays the same whether the roof is up or down.. In terms of practicality, it can fit in a couple of cabin-sized trolleys and some rucksacks, which will be enough for short road trips and scenic drives. 

The MG Cyberster is available with a single battery pack choice, that is mated with a dual electric motor setup. Here are the details:

Since my time with the Cyberster was limited to closed tracks, it would not be fair to draw definitive conclusions about its overall performance. That said, MG claims a nought to 100 kmph sprint time of 3.2 seconds, and true to its EV character, the car builds speed with effortless ease. For reference, the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica manages the same acceleration time! The acceleration is sharp and let’s just say, you should ask your passenger to brace for the sensation of being pushed into their seat..It also gets launch control, which delivers a strong push off the line and adds to the sense of urgency when you floor it.

The car has a notable split personality which you should be mindful of. In normal city driving, the power delivery is as smooth and progressive as any normal electric car. But a sharp enough nudge of the accelerator will have you rocketing ahead in a manner that should be respected. By that, we mean you should take the time to get used to its performance and also be sharp enough with your responses to brake at the right time. Thankfully, you do get all-wheel drive as standard which helps put the torque down in a manner that helps keep things controlled in the hands of even amateur drivers. 

It stops almost as quickly as it accelerates, which says a lot considering how quick the Cyberster feels in a straight line. The braking setup is well judged for a car of this weight, offering strong bite and a progressive pedal feel that inspires confidence. What stands out is the smooth transition between regenerative and mechanical braking. There’s no sudden change in feel or inconsistency, just a clean and predictable response whether you're slowing down in traffic or braking hard before a corner.a

As I drove the Cyberster on well paved roads only, it will be difficult to say how it holds up on bad roads and uneven surfaces. That said, the grip it provides on smooth tarmac is unmatched, thanks to its AWD configuration. Its low centre of gravity keeps it stable and encouraging on sharp corners and it manages high-speed maneuvers with a lot of confidence. Body roll is also well contained and the Cyberster stays composed even when I sent it through the bends. Not just this, but the steering is also sharp and nicely weighted, which makes it easy to place the car and will encourage you to drive it harder.

The MG Cyberster is available in a single fully-loaded variant.

The MG Cyberster is not a car you buy with your head. It is a car you will buy out of emotion, and MG is clearly targeting such a kind of buyer. It gets mostly everything sorted - the performance stats are impressive, the styling is eye-catching, and the driving experience is unlike anything else at this price range. It is so neatly packaged that even those who are on the anti-EV bandwagon may find themselves smiling behind the wheel.

Of course, it is not without its compromises. The cabin is tight, the boot space is limited, and the ride is on the firmer side. But if you are looking for a second or third car purely for the joy of driving, and want something that turns heads in a world full of SUVs and sedans, the Cyberster fits the brief perfectly. It certainly isn’t a cheap car and will only be for a select few with the spending power but its performance and flash-to-price equation still makes it good value for money.