Malaysia road trips. Ah, what a topic. It’s the evergreen story that keeps on giving, a tale as old as time. And trust me, you’ll see tons more, year after year, decade after decade.

If you’ve been keeping tabs on my AutoApp escapades, you might raise an eyebrow and go, “Hold on a minute! Isn’t this the third pilgrimage to the same Resort in Desaru this year?” Well, yes, you’ve got a good memory. And yes, the same destination, but each journey is like a snowflake—unique, charming, and enchanting in its very own way.

Let’s be honest; these road trips possess an uncanny ability to keep us hooked, to ignite that sense of wonder, to fan the flames of excitement. Why, you ask? Because every experience is a world unto itself.

My trusty steed this time round is the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The Made-in-Singapore marvel is here to redefine the game, taking the ordinary and injecting it with an elixir of electric charisma.

I could finally push an EV at faster speeds!

No matter how much horsepower you’ve got under the hood, the legal speed limit in Singapore is at best 90km/h. Plus, with the ever-congested roads we face on a daily basis, you will never get to experience the true capabilities of an EV here. Each green light is a swift and short burst of speed, followed by rapid deceleration as you catch up to the car in front.

In Malaysia however, the speed limit on the motorways is 110km/h, and in non-peak midday traffic, travelling to your destination is nothing more than a carefree experience. Of course, we do not encourage speeding, but some bits do beckon you to travel slightly faster, bar the ol’ rozzer every now and then.

Most EVs have one major disadvantage over their ICE counterparts; lower top-end speeds thanks in part to their motor-driven assemblies. By being in Malaysia, it allowed me to achieve higher speeds, thus enabling me to better access just how an EV would fare if subjected to more zooms.

And I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Ioniq 5 handled itself beautifully on Malaysian tarmac. Even at speed, its lower centre of gravity (thanks to the low-slung batteries) helped it maintain a steady cadence as we wafted along. At no point did I feel the car become floaty or unsettled as we cruised; high praise for the Ioniq 5, especially with its SUV-hatchback-esque proportions. 

Miles ticked away as the Ioniq 5 effortlessly devoured the distance. Though I did not get to try out the dual-motor variant, the ‘Cat A’ single motor offerings were more than sufficient in terms of power; 107kW (143bhp) and a generous 350Nm on tap. While lower-powered, this lighter variant still packs enough punch, and is a great companion to coast to our resort at Desaru… coast.

EV charging is not as daunting as you think

Due to the sustained pace I was doing throughout the trip, I did notice that battery consumption was a little on the higher side. It’s no secret that EVs consume more juice when travelling fast, and I was averaging about 24.2kWh/100km on the highway bits.

Not a deal breaker by any stretch, but you do need to factor in sufficient charging locations as you go about your trip.

Which is why, after a serene breakfast at Talula Hill Farm and Resort, the cars made a quick pitstop at Shell Skudai R&R in order to get some much-needed power. There were also charging stations located at the Anantara Resort, which we generously occupied (sorry other EV owners!).

But, as you can clearly see, we didn’t even need to leave the resort in order to get a full battery, all ready for the next day’s festivities.

Yes, depending on battery capacity, you may need to plug in more times than someone else needs to top up fuel, but that doesn’t mean an EV can’t survive the “harsh” Malaysian peninsula.

Plan in advance, and your journey can be as seamless as a relaxing cup of coffee by a hillside.

The Ioniq 5 has a trick up its sleeve too

Hyundai has included a unique feature in the Ioniq 5; external Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality. Basically, the car can become your mobile generator.

Plugging the adapter into the car’s charging port is literally all that’s required to get the party started. To demonstrate this, the Hyundai folk have graciously set up a portable movie theatre right on the grounds of a completely deserted carpark, powered solely by the Ioniq 5. 

Enjoying an episode of Brooklyn 99, beer in hand, sitting on a Hyundai field chair (which you can purchase, by the way) right smack in the middle of nowhere is exactly my kind of peace, and it’s more amazing knowing that all this is powered by the Ioniq 5.

Hyundai, if you wish to try out some outdoor al-fresco steamboat ideas, I’m all ears.

The designers even engineered an inflatable bed that fits snugly in the back of the Ioniq 5, so once you’re ready to settle in for the night, you can just crawl in and gaze at the star-filled sky. How? With the Ioniq 5’s standard fit panoramic sunroof, of course.

Electricity can be your friend

I’ve driven up North many, many times. But this was the first time I’ve exclusively used EVs to get around. Even though our journey may only cover the Southern part of Malaysia, getting around was just as easy as any ICE vehicle.

And it was quite the sight to pull up to the petrol stations, waving off the pump attendant, and heading straight in just for a box of good-value ice cream.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 proves that you can have a great time in Malaysia. All you’ve got to do is grab the motivation to pack your passport and head for the land borders.

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Category A COE cars are all the rage these days in Singapore. With soaring petrol prices and astronomical COE premiums, these wallet-friendly city runabouts are just the sort of thing a budget-conscious buyer wants – practical, fuel-efficient, and versatile.

For those of you reading outside of Singapore, here’s how we classify Cat A vehicles being registered here:

• Non-fully electric cars with engines up to 1,600cc and Maximum Power Output up to 97kW (130bhp).
• Fully electric cars with Maximum Power Output of up to 110kW (147bhp).

However, as we can see from the figures above, in traditional cases owning a Cat A vehicle means sacrificing performance and oftentimes driving fun in exchange for a cheaper set of wheels.

But, with the advent and advancement in new engine technology alongside innovations like electrical assistance, engine capacity is no longer the defacto indicator of performance.

So that begs the question, can Cat A cars be any fun? Well, to find out, I went on a road trip with Volkswagen Group Singapore (VGS) to Desaru, in order to answer this with four wheels and a steering wheel.

What four wheels you might ask? VGS has very kindly offered their existing range of Category A Volkswagen and Škoda cars. Despite our end goal being Desaru, the gang opted to travel in a 500km U-shaped route instead, savouring some of Malaysia’s best B-roads along the way.

The cars accompanying us on this journey included the Volkswagen Golf 1.5 eTSI (Life and Life Plus), Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0TSI, Škoda Scala 1.0TSI Monte Carlo and the Škoda Octavia 1.0TSI. Nothing over 1.5 litres of engine block goodness.

My group were assigned to the Škoda Octavia first, our vessel to cross into Malaysian tarmac. Once the speed limits turned into suggestions, I placed my foot down and started hunting.

Yes, it might only have a 1.0-litre 3-pot heart, but having access to its 200Nm of torque at low RPMs coupled with mild-hybrid assistance meant that it could hold its own both on the straights and the corners. It could easily keep up with its Octavia RS sibling driven by the support crew, bar brief moments of harsh acceleration.

To keep costs down, Škoda opted for a torsion rear beam instead of the usual multi-link setup. I loved this setup, as it makes the car more predictable around corners. The car feels settled even at speed, and any bouts of oversteer can be mitigated as easily as letting your foot off the throttle.

Plus, you get to do that in a spacious and practical family sedan with tons of room. The Octavia has always been dear to my heart, and this road trip bolstered additional gratification towards it.

After a spot of brunch at Yong Peng’s famous Sunroast, we were on the road again – this time in the Volkswagen Golf Life. The new Life variants are meant to distinguish the Cat A models from their more powerful brethren. With the same engine, the boffins at Volkswagen have managed to detune the 1.5-litre engine to make it fall nicely under Cat A.

Externally and internally, it’s business as usual from the regular Cat B Mk 8 Golf. But, what lies in its engine bay is what truly matters, and boy does this Golf live up to its famed reputation.

With the same torsion beam setup as most of the other cars on this trip, the Golf was effortlessly dancing in the bends. It just so happens I was in the Golf for a particularly twisty bit of road, and it couldn’t have been a better combination.

Keeping up momentum in the corners, any understeer sensations were quickly sorted out as the Golf soldiered on, and shifting through its 7-speed DSG gearbox whilst keeping its revs high was riveting. All of this, even as it started to pour and visibility became limited.

Our little chihuahua gave us a blast all to way to Jemaluang Emerald Lake, and we were sad to part ways with it at Jason’s Bay Beach.

But, this meant we could hop into another ride, and this time it was the biggest of the group – the Volkswagen T-Cross. Now, you take one look at these cars and probably think to yourself, “How can the T-Cross keep up with this pack?”

Yes, I will admit the T-Cross can be a little more tricky to wrestle in the corners, with its taller stature and waftiness. But, despite its SUV proportions, it could just as easily keep up on the highway bits and back roads. It was also arguably the most comfortable of the bunch as well, with tall cabin headroom and ample leg space for toe wiggling.

Turning in for the night, I awoke bright and early for our return journey to Singapore, and the Škoda Scala was there to greet me for the ride home.

This was the Monte Carlo edition of the Scala, fitted with a bunch of extra trinkets like 18-inch alloys, soft bucket seats and a panoramic moonroof. There weren’t many B-roads left to enjoy on the return leg, but the Scala was extremely competent blasting down the highway at legal speeds. Plus, I don’t know about you, but the Scala looks gorgeous in that shade of red.

Our final car swap saw us crossing the border back into Singapore in the Volkswagen Golf Life Plus. Much like its aforementioned Golf Life sibling, it has all of the charms of the Golf, but is now packaged in a bite-sized wallet-friendly form. Plus, with the Life Plus, you get the added advantage of 3-zone HVAC and cooler rims on the outside.

Overall, this was obviously a fun-filled trip, but it was mainly fun because of these Cat A gems. These cars invoke a unique charm behind the wheel and beckon you to just keep driving whilst savouring every last bit of tarmac.

These are not just machines; they’re companions. Companions that can munch up the miles and take you to your next destination, with a big grin plastered on your face.

It’s more fun driving a slow car fast than a fast car slow, right? Just like getaway cars.

Big shoutout to Volkswagen Group Singapore for making this trip possible!

Photo Credits: Horizon Drivers’ Club (@horizondriversclub)

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