Despite numerous road trips to Melaka, an offer to visit this UNESCO World Heritage city in Malaysia never fails to excite me and my travel buddies. Plus for this trip, we have an additional perk of experiencing the luxury and power of a continental car over our 240 – 250km journey. We headed down to Peugeot showroom along Alexandra Road early Friday morning to take over the keys for our brand new Peugeot 508 RXH 2.0 Hybrid 4. For me, it was love at first sight – the colour reflects my personality. Also, check out the signature claw-like front lights and of course the car plate number 2266, remember to go buy 4D!

Jimmy, the Sales Manager at Peugeot Singapore did a wonderful introduction of the car to me and my friend, our official driver. He proudly shared that the Peugeot 508 RXH is a four-wheel drive estate car with a green secret. Using diesel hybrid technology, the car is able to deliver maximum performance with low emissions. For your information, the diesel HDi energy drives the front wheels while electric motors drive the back wheels.

Other than fully customisable seats, this intelligent car enables you to store up to 2 driver preference using the buttons on the side of the driver’s seat. So each driver does not have to go through the manual pain of re-adjusting seats, mirrors and windows settings every time they take over the car. Why am I not driving? Ermm… I have failed horribly when I was 21 and very contented to be in the passenger seat.

Next, Jimmy explained its gears system. The car has basically 4 gear options – R (Reverse), N (Neutral), A (Automated) & M (Manual). Choose Manual if you wanna play with the clutch! Else select Automated and choose your preferred model from Hybrid 4 mode selector.

1. Auto Mode

This mode is activated automatically each time the vehicle is started. It automatically manages the transition between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, according to the traffic conditions and driving style, so as to optimise fuel consumption.

2. Zev Mode

This ultra-green mode allows running on the electric motor only, up to a maximum of 60 km/hr. It can only be activated with at least 50% of battery charge. 

Eco-driving is a range of everyday practices that allow the motorist to optimise their fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Make use of free energy by anticipating the need to slow down and decelerate gently. Every time you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, the vehicle slows down and the battery is charged.

3. 4WD Mode

All 4 wheels are activated at the same time! You enjoy additional traction but at low speed by driving all 4 wheels of the vehicle continuously.

4. Sport Mode

This mode allows more dynamic driving by providing additional performance. Vehicle acceleration and pick up are maximised by using the full capacity of the electric motor, in addition to the Diesel engine.

The French really know how to enjoy their driving experience. A massage function is made available for the driver seat to soothe any discomfort that the driver experiences while driving long distance. Toggling between Radio and other media is extremely easy and we are also able to connect our smartphone music through Bluetooth. The sound quality was not at all compromised from the transmission. In fact, audiophiles will be delighted by the sound system’s powerful bass. For a better driving knowledge, visit carcolonel.com

The >P< button above is for its Parallel Parking Assistance Function which helps you to gauge if space is sufficient for parallel parking. During measurement, go forward the length of space, at a speed less than 20km/hr to prepare for manoeuvre. Once the measurement is completed, the system auto informs you of the difficulties. The system does not measure spaces which are clearly much small or larger than the size of the vehicle.

Last but not least, Jimmy run through the final functions and we are all set to go!

All our barang barang were dumped recklessly into the car boot. There’s no need to arrange nicely when there is so much space to play with!

Finally, we hit the roads! We took the Tuas Checkpoint for a smoother clearance and direct highway access to Melaka. My friend commented that speed and fuel displays were easy to read, particularly the Heads Up Speed Display.

We enjoyed a very smooth ride with very low noise internally despite travelling at high speed. When it comes to external noise, very little noise is produced when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor only. Therefore you have to be very careful about your surrounding as other drivers may not be aware of your presence. My friend also like the cruise mode which allows him to remove his feet pressure on the accelerator. The system automatically maintains the speed of the vehicle at your pre-programmed speed. This is a fantastic perk for long distance driving. The brakes were also highly responsive.

If you ever get bored on the trip, switch to the tinted glass Panoramic Sunroof and entertain your passengers with a gorgeous view of the clear blue sky! Imagine how this will be like at night, star gazing inside the car sounds like a really romantic idea!

While we stop for a break along the way, we did a check on the fuel consumption. The smooth transit from diesel to electrical energy allow us to conserve fuel and save cost. Furthermore, the car is also well adapted to accept lower grade diesel from Malaysia. This car is great for your pocket! You may also want to check out how to get the best blow-off valve for your car too.

I also took the opportunity to check out the back seats and get a feel of how it will be like to be a back seat passenger. Guests seated behind enjoy a rather generous space.

You will never need to ask your passengers if they are feeling comfortable seated behind because they enjoy their own personal zone air-condition control! The car offers Quad-zone Digital Air Conditioning which allows drivers and all 3 passengers to customise their own settings.

Back seat passengers will definitely appreciate the additional USB charging socket when they are running low on battery on a trip.

After 4 hours on the road, we finally reach our destination – Hatten Hotel Melaka.

Our verdict on Peugeot 508 RXH 2.0 Hybrid 4? We are full of praises for the car both from the driver and passenger perspective. Peugeot has successfully integrated the latest technology within this latest offer. This is clearly a driver centric car with an extremely friendly user interface. To truly appreciate the Peugeot 508 RXH 2.0 Hybrid 4, you have to go on a long distance road trip. I assure you that once you have experienced it, you will ever want to go back to your usual drive again. It may not be always smooth sailing on a road trip, you may want to check out some of the best Jet Stands in 2017 before you drive off too!