INTERIORS BY HAROYS

New Year, New You!

January is historically a time for detoxing and dieting after our Christmas indulgences and to start the year ahead in a healthy frame of mind – and body.

With everyone currently spending more time at home, whether that’s due to remote working or just preferring to stay safe indoors, now is an excellent time to invest in yourself and your biggest investment – your sanctuary. Wellness units such as saunas, steam rooms and spas are now available for home installation and with plenty of wellness options, there’s something to suit all tastes.

SAUNA Our infrared saunas provide relief for many ailments - from the common cold and chronic fatigue to rheumatoid arthritis and musculoskeletal pain. They are also effective when dealing with cardiovascular health and skin conditions and assist with performance in endurance sports and post natal recovery. Perspiration or sweating is one of the main ways our bodies get rid of toxins that accumulate inside us and just 15 minutes in a Jaquar portable sauna can help us sweat as much as we would normally in an entire day.

STEAM ROOM A steam room is a Turkish style sauna that uses boiling water to generate wet heat or high humidity instead of the dry heat of regular saunas and are also excellent in dealing with:

Detoxification - The list of chemicals claimed to be removed from the body includes: mercury, lead, copper, cadmium, manganese, sodium, chloride, arsenic, nickel, benzenes, street drugs, prescription drugs, anaesthetics, cholesterol, urea, nicotine, sulfuric acid.

Boosting the immune system - A typical steam room session will cause a brief 1 to 3 degree F increase in body temperature, resulting in boosting immunity, overall.

Stress - Continuous strain on the autonomic nervous system leads to a high level of stress, one of the elusive causes of many chronic diseases.

Weight Control – It is claimed that a 15 minute sauna session is as effective for weight loss as rowing or jogging for 30 minutes. The improved blood flow to organs and endocrine glands speeds up their metabolic process, increasing caloric burn. Fat becomes water soluble at 110°F. An indoor sauna reaches temperatures of between 145°F to 190°F, thereby exceeding this and helping your body to release subcutaneous fat along with the sweat and toxins.

Cardiovascular Conditioning - The human body will naturally try and cool itself as temperature increases. It does this by diverting blood from the internal organs to the extremities and skin by vasodilation. This increases heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate.

Cellulite - Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat, water and wastes which are trapped in pockets below the skin. Profuse sweating is purported to clear this form of unwanted debris. Sauna or steam room treatments are effective in cellulite removal when used in conjunction within a program that includes diet and massage.

Pain Relief and Control - Helping to eliminate or reduce the pain of arthritis, muscle spasms, shoulder pain, neck and back pain, sprains of any area and reduce scar tissue and adhesions, a steam or sauna treatment will rapidly increase the healing process in any non-acute injury. escape of dirt, oil, and makeup. In addition, there are improvements in skin problems such as acne, rashes, burns, eczema and psoriasis. Scars, even keloids, may be gradually softened.

So if you’re looking for a sauna or steam room for your bathroom, home office or your garden room, get the best of the best at Interiors by Haroys! Saunas define comfort, warmth and happiness. It is where you can relax and feel at peace.

For more information, contact Interiors by Haroys on 01202 686236 or visit our new showroom at 91 Poole Road, Westbourne, BH4 9BB.

Skin Cleaning and Rejuvenation – Not surprisingly, a treatment in a steam room will open clogged pores allowing the

CONTACT

01202 686236

sales@haroys.co.uk WEBSITE

www.haroys.co.uk LOCATION

91 Poole Road, Westbourne,

Bournemouth, Dorset, BH4 9BB

Remoulding the Past, Reshaping the Future, Rebuilding the Environment!

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PRODUCT FABRICATOR

Reformed Plastics are seeking new starters for the new year! We have excellent opportunities for hard-working, reliable and positive individuals seeking a secure, full-time permanent position (37.5 hours a week) to join our growing, respected and friendly family run business in a varied, day-based role, with added overtime earnings potential as a Product Fabricator in our Parley workshop!

Applicants’ must be 18 years and over, bright, trustworthy, experienced using power tools ideally, conscientious, able to develop new skills, physically fit, keen with a good sense of initiative and work well as part of a small team as well as independently. Pay is competitive and dependent on experience and benefits.

If you feel you have the aptitude to join us then please call us on 01202 385751 and send your CV to enquiries@reformedplastics.co.uk to be considered for an interview.

MOTORING NEWS

Mark Slack tells us the latest news on all things motoring.

ROAD TEST: MG HS – QUALITY AND EQUIPMENT AS STANDARD

MG, the famous British brand, is producing an increasingly impressive range of vehicles given the price point of their models.

Their flagship model is the HS and priced from £21,495 and includes a plug-in hybrid priced at £30,095. There is just one engine, a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission. With two trim levels, the Excite and the more highly specified Exclusive, standard fare across the range is very generous. Air conditioning, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror, parking sensors and rear camera, cruise control, navigation, high beam assist, 10” touchscreen along with Apple Car Play and Android Auto plus leather seats all come as standard. The Exclusive model from £23,995 adds a truly panoramic sunroof, dual zone air conditioning and heated seats. Both externally and internally the HS looks and feels a quality product, there are soft touch materials in evidence throughout the interior and switches and controls operate with a pleasantly precise feel. Despite the march of digitalisation, and the MG is no exception in this regard, there are still buttons for the key functions. Although annoyingly the climate control and heated seats need the touchscreen. That large 10” touchscreen has nice clear graphics and is pretty intuitive compared to some larger and more prestigious marques.

The driving position appears high even with the electric height adjustment at its lowest setting, but both the front and rear seats are very comfortable and supportive.

My top-line Exclusive model felt spacious, not least due to a panoramic glass roof of which half opens as a sunroof. The space continues in the luggage area with an additional storage compartment under the floor and split fold rear seats to increase the carrying potential further.

On the road the MG passes the benchmark 60 mph in 9.6 seconds and is a smooth, refined drive and with a particularly precise manual gearbox. The engine isn’t the most modern and fuel economy can be beaten by newer competitors, but 38 mpg is by no means poor. For a taller, non-sports SUV the MG handles well, soaking up the roughest of pot-holed, undulating roads.

This is a hugely impressive SUV with high levels of quality and standard equipment marking it out for serious consideration to buyers looking for a larger SUV. It’s one I would be happy to have on my drive.

ROAD TEST: MAZDA 3 SALOON – DISCREET LOOKS HIDE AUTOMOTIVE QUALITY

In a motoring world where cars, to the average person, all look vaguely alike Mazda’s 3 saloon is arguably no different. It looks pleasant enough but in reality is a design that could carry any automotive badge. Sit behind the wheel though and you find those discreet looks hide a car whose quality, drive and equipment belies its price tag.

Mazda’s 3 comes in both saloon and hatchback with prices starting at £21,955 for the hatchback and £24,955 for the saloon, and it’s the saloon we’re concentrating upon here, although many of the features are the same in both formats. The Mazda has a very decent boot and the aperture is a good size too, often a practicality failing on saloons, and despite its 4-door status there are split folding rear seats. Saloons can be practical! There’s also, in my view, a good argument for saying that saloons are quieter than their hatchback counterparts by nature of their fully enclosed load area. On the road the car drives beautifully and has an interior that feels extremely premium and high quality. It’s a really nice place to be and there’s a reassuringly positive feel to the controls, and well done Mazda for having buttons and not over-thetop touch screen control for everything. A central display, crisp white on black dials and a head-up display make for easy reading.

Hatchbacks account for by far the greatest number of sales with saloons notching up a very small percentage. If you thought saloons are less practical than a hatchback then you’re right....some of the time. How often do you remove the parcel shelf from your hatchback? How often do you lower the seats in your hatchback? For many people the answer is not that often. A single 2.0-litre petrol engine is offered on all saloon models, developing 186PS, and with clever hybrid engineering returns commendable fuel economy. I averaged 56mpg in a top-of-the-range manually geared GT Sport Tech. Standard fare on the Sport Tech GT is very comprehensive to say the least with everything you would expect to find on a much more premium brand. Mechanically there’s a wonderfully smooth 6-speed manual gearchange (auto is available), refined ride and handling and very tidy acceleration. It’s not a car to excite petrolheads, but for those wanting comfortable luxury and a choice away from the usual automotive suspects then the Mazda 3 saloon has nailed it!

ROAD TEST: INEOS GRENADIER – A PROPERLY IMPRESSIVE OFFROADER

As car marques go few can match Sir William Lyon’s Jaguar, especially when you consider it started off in Blackpool building sidecars. In its modern incarnation Jaguar is now one of the companies that is leading the charge to electrification. Their aim is to have a completely electric range by the middle of the decade, their start being the critically acclaimed iPace

However, my Jaguar drive was the long standing, non-electric, XF. It’s a car that has been around since 2008 and which has seen evolution rather than revolution in its modernisation. Sharper lines, a visually lower stance with a deeper front grille give today’s XF a mean and imposing stance. Finished in metallic grey with a black interior the test car certainly enhanced this look, especially with the external black pack.

As always Jaguar don’t stint on the standard equipment and my R Dynamic HSE doesn’t disappoint on the technical or comfort front. At £44,760 it’s somewhat of a bargain in the sector. Although only a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine sits under the bonnet it’s a powerful one that propels the XF past the benchmark 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and on to 155 mph. Add all-wheel-drive and this is a Jaguar that runs as well as its four-legged namesake, albeit with somewhat more longevity than the big cats in the wild who are sprinters rather than marathon runners.

I’m a fan of more traditional, lighter and arguably more British interior style rather than the dark hues present in my test car. That said it didn’t detract from the impressive comfort and quality of the XF’s interior. Not too long ago I criticised the XE and XF for what I saw as a drop in quality. That has certainly been rectified and the XF feels like it is back where it

belongs on that side of the quality equation. There’s also a lesson for the digitisation obsessives in car design, it doesn’t have to be complicated and can be intuitive, as the XF demonstrates perfectly.

On the road the XF doesn’t disappoint and despite the mere 4-cylinders retains a commendably refined air. With ride options ranging from sport to waft mode it’s a delight to drive. On the debit side the XF isn’t that spacious considering its size. There are also still traces of cheaper plastics that should never be allowed inside a Jaguar! Overall, though this is a car that acquits itself with considerable aplomb and which can happily park on my drive anytime.

ROAD TEST: TOYOTA YARIS CROSS – SHARP, MODERN AND DISTINCTIVE

For those who remember Toyota’s Yaris as a small economical hatchback it may come as somewhat of a shock at the number of variants now bearing the Yaris name. However, it certainly hasn’t lost its appeal as an economical hatchback of choice. It has just got significantly trendier, and in the case of Yaris GR considerably more sporting.

In addition to the standard, lead-in Yaris model with 5-doors, 1.5-litre petrol engine and prices starting from £20,210, there’s the Yaris Cross which offers a crossover style from £22,515 and then the barnstorming 257bhp Yaris GR from £30,020. However, it’s the Yaris Cross that’s the focus of our attention in this review.

One friend described the Yaris Cross as looking like a friendly chipmunk from the front! Whatever your particular view, styling is very subjective, the Yaris Cross looks sharp and modern and more distinctive than many of its competitors. Power in all models is via a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine mated to an automatic transmission. It also benefits from a 59kwh electric motor to boost power and reduce emissions. You have an allwheel-drive option on one trim level and although not for true mud-plugging snowy roads and the local village fete should prove no problem thanks to higher ground clearance and that all-wheel-drive.

Standard fare across the line-up includes keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, automatic air conditioning and a multi-media system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto with Bluetooth. There’s a good range of paint choices available as options, various optional packs as well as individual items like a rather splendid panoramic roof at a not unreasonable £330.

Inside, the Yaris Cross has a smart and functional look with what seems to be a very good build quality throughout. There are also still physical knobs for the climate control and buttons for major controls. Hurrah! A decent on road ride allows for pretty good handling and while the CVT gearbox does occasionally get gruff, it’s a lot better than many I have tried and is for the most part quite refined. The performance isn’t anything like hot hatch territory but the Yaris manages to be fun, and you’ll have no problem keeping up on the motorway and nipping past slower traffic on A roads.

If you’re looking for something a little funky, but with mainstream reliability and practicality, then the Yaris Cross is a perfect choice!

ROAD TEST: VOLVO V90 – A VERY DESIRABLE SWEDISH STEED

Volvo’s staple buyer has changed over the last few years with the transformation of its range, from safe and worthy to dynamic and fashionable. The Swedish car maker has created a very cool, Scandinavian (even though they’re not all made there now) look to their line-up. Their high-tech march towards electrification includes plug-in, mild hybrid and pure electric models.

My particular Swedish steed was the V90 Recharge plug-in hybrid in R-Design specification. Essentially what that means is a traditionally spacious Volvo estate with a distinctly Scandinavian vibe. Despite the popularity of SUVs Volvo estates are still in demand, and for good reason. These are load carriers, not in the same league as the square box Volvos of old but still pretty impressive, they are also packed with luxuries touches.

Standard fare across all V90 models includes auto dimming mirrors, auto lights, high beam assist, auto wipers, keyless start, cruise, electric and power folding door mirrors, leather, heated front seats with electric adjustment and lumbar support, heated wiper blades, dual zone climate control and as you would expect from Volvo there is a plethora of standard safety kit.

Prices start from £42,995 and my test model, the Recharge plug-in hybrid, R-Design, at £57,525. Options included a fabulous power glass tilt and slide panoramic sunroof, cornering lighting, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel and windscreen, memory passenger seat, Bowers & Wilkins sound system, adaptive dampers and air suspension, parking camera and a retractable towbar. This bumps the price to a not inconsiderable £66,675.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive for any kind of weather. With added electric power the V90 passes the benchmark 62mph in just 5.9 seconds. In pure electric mode the Volvo can take you up to 52 miles, so more than enough for a commute.

Gear changes are smooth, the refinement is excellent giving the V90 an air of unruffled calm. It’s one of those cars that you feel could take you from one end of the country to the other and emerge with no aches or feeling in any way jaded. The interior is modern and minimalist but at the same time has the look and feel of a luxury car. It’s an object lesson in how interiors can look so classy yet remain practical.

In case you haven’t already gathered, I like Volvos and this one in particular.