THE term “built for speed” describes an object, animal or person designed or naturally adapted to move as quickly as possible.
It means performance, velocity and agility were prioritised over comfort, luxury or heavy-duty load capacity in its creation or evolution.
However, that phrase does NOT cover Perodua car models such as the Axia, MyVi and Bezza, according to popular automotive content creator Gu Lee.
Sharing this pertinent advice on Facebook Reel, the car enthusiast called out all owners of those models to take note – “Your vehicles were NOT built for high speeds!”
“These cars are in the ‘economy’ class of vehicles which focus is primarily fuel economy, easy maintenance, lightness of weight and soft suspension, hence sre ideal for comfortable city driving,” outlined the bespectacled automotive guru.
So far, so good.
But problems arise when owners decide to put pedal to the metal on these Perodua models as these vehicles are lightweight and have a short wheelbase. This makes these cars unstable and difficult to steer at high speeds, warned Gu Lee.
Compared to cars in other more expensive segments, it was also pointed out that drivers of Perodua vehicles will experience “folding” and “less grip” when taking a corner at high speeds.
Gu Lee further noted that Perodua cars are usually fitted with smaller tyres, thus leading the vehicles to have less contact patch with the road as compared to thicker, fatter rubber. The end result is less effective braking as the distance required to come to a stop is farther.
“It’s not to say that these Perodua cars are unsafe but the safety limit is also lower compared to performance or heavier vehicles,” advised the driving enthusiast.
Highlighting a clip of an Axia swerving out of control and crashing he added:
Yes, you can drive these cars at high speeds but don’t expect much if anything untoward happens.
If you own Perodua Axia, MyVi and Bezza, use them for their intended purposes – economical city driving, ease of maintenance and less fuel consumption. They are not for you to chase top speeds.
Gu Lee’s post has generated 4.7K likes, 348 comments and 1K shares at time of writing with many a road user keen to share their thoughts on the topic.
More than a few agreed that the Perodua models weren’t built for highspeed driving, noting their “boat-like handling” when the speedometer climbs beyond 100km/h.
However, a number of motorists were quick to acknowledge that the fault lay with irresponsible drivers, not the cars themselves.
Many also agreed that it was the less-than-conscientious owners of Perodua models who are to blame for “stupidly driving at high speeds.”
One cheeky commenter went on to propose that perhaps Perodua should change the speedometer to indicate a top speed of 110km/h instead of 220 km/h!
Some modification enthusiasts recommended investing in improving the car’s capabilities. Top of the list were bigger and wider tyres which would improve the car’s stability and cornering capabilities.
However, one motorist cautioned against such thinking as there will be those who will feel that the upgraded components such as improved suspension, installation of stable bar and high-grade tyres will allow them “to accelerate till 180km/h’.
He argued that this group of owners might even resort to attributing accidents involving Perodua cars to not upgrading such parts.
This is clearly NOT a Perodua-bashing exercise but instead a well-intentioned public service announcement that simply advices owners to drive their cars within their intended limits. Whether or not it is heeded is quite another matter altogether. – July 18, 2026
Main image credit: FUNTASTICO.NET
