Lotus Emira vs MG Cyberster
Verdict
The Lotus Emira is the purist’s spend: RM1,131,800 for a rear-drive petrol coupe with a 3,456 cc, 400 hp engine, manual gearbox and a 4.3-second 0-100 km/h time. It is also Lotus’ last internal-combustion model, so the appeal is emotional as much as numeric. The MG Cyberster is far cheaper at RM299,900, rear-drive too, and its single motor gives 338 hp with 508 km of EV range. It is slower at 5.0 seconds, but road tax is RM395, not RM4,182, and it has the bigger 249-litre boot.
Pick the Lotus Emira if you want the quicker manual petrol coupe and are prepared to pay supercar-level money and road tax for it.
Pick the MG Cyberster if you want a two-seat electric convertible with 508 km of range, a lower price and much cheaper annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: Lotus Emira RM1,131,800; MG Cyberster RM299,900
- Powertrain: Lotus Emira 3,456 cc petrol engine; MG Cyberster single electric motor
- Power: Lotus Emira 400 hp; MG Cyberster 338 hp
- 0-100 km/h: Lotus Emira 4.3 seconds; MG Cyberster 5.0 seconds
- Boot space: Lotus Emira 151 litres; MG Cyberster 249 litres
- Road tax per year: Lotus Emira RM4,182; MG Cyberster RM395
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 1,131,800 | RM 299,900✓ |
| Body type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Segment | Sports Car | Sports Car |
| Seats | 2 | 2 |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Engine | 3,456 cc | Single motor |
| Power | 400 hp✓ | 338 hp |
| Torque | 420 Nm | — |
| Transmission | Manual | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Driven wheels | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 4.3 s✓ | 5.0 s |
| Top speed | — | 195 km/h |
| Efficiency | ||
| Battery | — | 77.0 kWh |
| EV range | — | 508 km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,412 mm | 4,535 mm |
| Width | 1,895 mm | 1,913 mm |
| Height | 1,225 mm | 1,329 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,575 mm | 2,690 mm |
| Boot space | 151 L | 249 L✓ |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | — | 4 |
| Auto emergency braking | Yes | Yes |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 5 | 7✓ |
| Road tax / year | RM 4,182 | RM 395✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Emira
- 400 hp petrol engine
- Manual gearbox
- Quicker 4.3-second 0-100 km/h
- Much higher purchase price
- RM4,182 annual road tax
- Smaller 151-litre boot
Cyberster
- 508 km EV range
- Lower RM395 annual road tax
- Larger 249-litre boot
- Slower 5.0-second 0-100 km/h
- Less power at 338 hp
- No manual gearbox
Emira vs Cyberster FAQ
Is the Lotus Emira or MG Cyberster better?
The Lotus Emira is better for driving involvement: it is manual, petrol-powered and quicker to 100 km/h. The MG Cyberster is better for cost, road tax, EV range and boot space.
What is the price difference?
The price gap is RM831,900, with the Lotus Emira costing more than the MG Cyberster.
Which is cheaper to tax in Malaysia?
The MG Cyberster is much cheaper to tax at RM395 a year. The Lotus Emira costs RM4,182 a year, a difference of RM3,787 annually.