Thanks to the peeps at Chevrolet I got a chance to ride on the Cruze to Cherating, Kuantan, which the fiancé and I have been eagerly anticipating ever since Syed Idid from Mediabond told me it was possible. With the help of my trusty Lumix LX5 (used in every picture and video taken here) I chronicled the whole driving experience including the sights of the beautiful east coast beaches, the feel of the Cruze as it took us through the 3 hours ride and almost everything in between the weekend we were there for. Who knows, we may just have opened an opportunity to spark off a new social media revolution with them just like how Chevrolet in the United States made a Social Media-style road trip to SXSW!

Naza World at Petaling Jaya - Lot 1, Jalan 51A/221 Tel:03 7953 2888

It all started with visiting Naza World‘s near Jalan 223, where I love having my hot nasi lemak and perfect half boiled eggs. It was my first visit and thankfully Joanne kept my mouth sealed up otherwise I could have drooled over all the cars that were placed here.

Care to share what car model is this? I'm such a n00b when it comes to things I cannot afford 😛

The cars, like I said, were to drool for. I wonder if I’ll ever get a chance to drive one of these… Sigh, only time will tell I guess, or rather, I’ll pursue one of my goals in life which is to be a millionaire by 30, then a billionaire by 40! By then, I can get whatever car I want, no? 😉

See la see, my information all public anyway, what privacy?

Then of course I had to sign off an agreement that will allow me to have the car for 3 days, more than enough time to play around with the controls and thoroughly enjoy the experience of the Cruze. Well met Tivien!

Hello there, the Chevrolet Cruze in lightning blue!

Tivien then showed me to our car (for that time only :P) which will be responsible for our lives all the way to Kuantan and back. Little did she know that the Cruze will not only drive on the 3-hour long highway but also smaller roads leading to Cherating, Kuantan, then to other beaches and lovely seafood restaurants which I will also blog about. Dang!

Joanne Kay, thinking deeply if she should get the Chevrolet Cruze

My darling Joanne Kay had the first honour to sit at the driver seats, scrutinizing the controls. Did I tell you that she’s a drifter? She really does know her stuff! And it was here that we noted that the signal indicator wasn’t at the normal position but on the other side. Other noticeable difference include the lighting controls, which uses the dial system and not located at the signal lever.

The butt end of the Cruze

Upon inspecting the back, we noticed it wasn’t as sexy as the front but to make up for it, the boot size looks enormous! Of course, the cool Chevrolet logo is a must addition to add to its class 😉

The sexy 'eyes' of the Chevrolet Cruze!

The front, as I mentioned, looks really sleek and sexy though I’d preferred it in blazing red! But it’s alright, electric blue did the trick anyway… Anyway I particularly liked the opening chamber and  the “eyes” of the Cruze. If I didn’t mention yet, I’m no good with cars so my views of it is of the layman’s, so it may not be your cup of tea but whatever 😛

Expanded boot space!

As I suspected the boot space was huge, at least to my untrained eyes. Ample space for, say, a golf bag and 3-4 bags behind just like the ones you see in the picture. Which is another reason why Joanne Kay deserves a praise- she packs like a guy hahaha.. The red bag is the only bag she brought!

The wheels... the sexy wheels 😛

Final check to the wheels which looked standard sized to me proved that it would not give any problems during the ride. Very important to check because most people assume and ignore which could prove disastrous should something happen in the middle of the journey and we don’t want that do we?

The Cruze rearing to go - Off the Cherating, Kuantan!

And we’re all set to go! Vroooom all the way to Cherating baby!

This was what I was staring at for the entire journey lol

During the journey we got to check out the controls and explore the dashboard… a fun yet scary experience especially since some of the controls were different from what we were used to! Nevertheless it wasn’t difficult and we got the hang of it soon after, it’s all about getting used to it 🙂

Not bad looking, robot like, even.

Joanne had a little difficulty trying to sleep as her seat had a little bump at the bottom to keep your posture straight, but she managed to get used to it, too. For the driver though, it was like a support that kept me comfortable, so I guess there’s the pros and cons on it. As for the entertainment system, it was easy to use and you can clearly see the labels ie lock/unlock button situated in the middle.

The gear box. Or car stick. Shaft. Whatever you call it 😛

The gears were an easy task to manage, coupled with the ability to go manual if you wanted to. Can’t remember what the technology is called but we tested in anyway and find the transition from low to high gear works out smoothly, especially needed when taking over cars on a single lane!

Screenshots of the scenic journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, Pahang

And so there it was, the entire journey going through padi fields, welcome signs and we even spotted a rainbow as well as those stores selling yummy food, a thorough experience away from the city and into the fresh air of the wilderness I say!

The Cruze arrived to Cherating, Kuantan!

Finally the Chevrolet Cruze was put to rest after the exciting journey, taking us safely without any hiccups or issues that would otherwise spoil our journey. The ride was safe and stable even at 180km/h (just along the stretch where there were no cars, purely out of experimental curiosity… otherwise we did abide the laws governing the road) while the cornering felt a little heavy on one side, but I guess that’s because of the Cruze’s heavy framework. It felt like we were grounded the whole journey, and I guess that’s where the concept of being stable stems from 🙂

The reception area - Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa Kuantan

We arrived at night and check straight into our room at the Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa, a really beautiful hotel situated right at the coast of the eastern beach. We were also one of the few lucky ones who got upgraded to the Junior Suite, which is definitely more than what we paid for (RM300 per night, we booked from this agent as it allows Paypal payment :P)

Classy bar and pool overlooking the foyer, with the beach behind

The ambience was amazing and there were many others on a holiday, too. Look at this breathtaking sight!

Our upgraded Junior Suite room 😉

We then decided to dump our belongings into the room, which we found quite nice and cosy- with a large outdoor patio to boot!

2656~2657, Mukim Sungai Karang, Balok Beach Beserah, Kuantan,, Balok Beach, Cherating, Malaysia

The entrance of Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa- this picture was taken on the way out to have our dinner, which I will blog about soon as it’s known for the seafood 😉

Amazing night shot made possible by the LX5 (no open exposure time)!

A final picture to end the night before Part 2, so do keep coming back and visit www.spinzer.us for all your exclusive updates on events, food reviews and travelling experience thanks to Panasonic Lumix and Chevrolet (Mediabond)!

Upcoming next: the glorious beach at Cherating, Pahang. Stay tuned for more!