9 minute read
Focus Motoring - Test Drive
H6 LUX
ere’s something special about si ing in a brand new car for the first time. e expectation of comfort, excitement of new technology and the all important handling and performance.
From the moment I saw the new Haval H6 LUX from GWM, I knew I was going to enjoy the weekend. Mmmmm… burgundy red too!
Once I’d had the rundown of the features, I settled down into the cabin and made myself comfortable. The Haval has a 6-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat. I was able to find the perfect lumbar support position for my 6 foot 3 inch frame and immediately reached for the multimedia touch screen. I mean, you’ve got to have a play with the toys first, right? Like a Bower Bird on a milk bottle top.
The heads up display looks really cool and everything was super easy. Connecting the phone to bluetooth, locating my favourite radio stations, programming the perfect temperature and with Apple Car Play on board, selecting your favourite driving tunes is a breeze. There’s also plenty of juice in the sound system if you’re keen to punch the tunes! Ok, Mick Jagger, start me up buddy, I’m ready to roll.
Initially, I went for a gentle cruise through town to get a feel for the car. Rather than a gear lever, the Haval is fitted with a rotary dial gear shift, which keeps the centre console nice and clear. There’s ample room for your coffee/drink cups, a large centre storage bin, a phone/wallet/key shelf and a generous stowage area below the centre console for a handbag. The room in the cabin was really comfortable, with plenty of clear vision all round and heaps of headroom.
The 2.0L turbo petrol engine left nothing to the imagination and I was pretty impressed by the power off the mark and uphill. Full 7-speed DSG transmission auto drive, or manual select drive options allow you to have as much or as little control of the gear changes as you like. When you put your foot down, you can imagine the Haval having no issue at all towing your caravan with 2000kg braked towing capacity.
The H6 is a mid-sized SUV with a strong, yet sleek appearance and once the doors are closed (with a solid thump might I add) the soundproofing really takes effect. At one point we pulled up next to a big V8 muscle car who gave it plenty of stick as they drove away. The Haval kept all of that noise well outside so no one had to raise their voice to continue the conversation.
Safety features were obviously something GWM wanted to focus on with numerous components included, all with the welfare of your family in mind. Aside from the secure knowledge of having 7 airbags, you soon become very used to gentle prompts from features like the autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and bicycle detection system, lane departure warning, lane keep and lane change assist, blind spot monitors, traffic sign recognition and driver fatigue monitoring - which are all optional. If you’re feeling super trustworthy, the adaptive cruise control will allow you to maintain safe distance from the vehicles around you as well as keeping to the centre of the lane you’re travelling in. Oh, there’s also a reminder to keep your hands on the wheel if you feel like testing the system hands free. Not that anyone would ever do that. Ever. Not even to show your 10 year old son.
Speaking of growing boys, even with both front seats all the way back, there was still plenty of room for his giraffe-like legs to develop and with an adjustable floor in the boot, you can fit in as much sports gear or shopping as you’ll ever need.
If I had to find a fault, I’d probably wish the field of vision through the rear view mirror was a little larger, but with all of the angles from the 360 degree camera (which you can set at any angle you like), and I really doubt you’re going to bump into anything.
The suspension makes sure the ride is silky smooth, super comfortable and the H6 feels pretty fancy for the price point.
Overall, the Haval H6 was a pleasure to drive and for just a little over $35,000, it’s affordable, solid and has a 7 year warranty to boot.
Top marks to GWM for producing this stylish, family SUV with a high level of user friendly features, the latest safety technology and all the power you’ll need around town and on the highway. The Haval H6 LUX really holds its own in a very competitive market.
Take a test drive of your own at Miedecke Motors Port Macquarie, Hastings River Drive.
LETS GREEN UP OUR COUNCIL!
Let’s green up our Council, that’s the message from four candidates from our local Port Macquarie Hastings Greens group. Standing on a platform to bring Green policy on the environment and social equality into our local Council, aligned with the 32 local councils in NSW with Green councillors. Long gone are the days where the Greens are considered extremists, they have emerged as a progressive political party transforming our political landscape from local through to federal politics.
The Green team are Lauren Edwards, Stuart Watson, Drusi Meggett and Les Mitchell, with Lauren Edwards as the lead candidate on the ticket in the number one position. All four have an impressive and long list of credentials with policies they believe they can bring to our local council, all stemming from social and environmental integrity for the whole community. Lead candidate and spokesperson for the group, Lauren Edwards, is a local small business owner and has lived, worked, studied and volunteered in the Port Macquarie community over the past 22 years. One of the biggest issues facing our local area is affordable housing – the Greens believe local government has a responsibility to the community to include social housing, and the Greens policy is one of commitment for greater availability of social and affordable housing. We believe in building a productive and vibrant community that is based on both social and environmental justice, in order to have a sustainable community and lifestyle that provides a healthy environment and quality educational and employment opportunities for our young people now and in the future. The policy of the Greens is to provide greater diversity in housing to meet the accessibility needs of changing demographics and disadvantaged groups.
Stuart Watson, small business owner and renewable energy consultant, has been involved in the energy industry for 25 years and understands in detail the potential challenges ahead as we plan for a truly sustainable future. He is standing due to the urgent need for real action on climate change. Stuart is a long term resident, and passionately committed to achieving opportunities for all of us to live a better life. Years ago he built his own electric vehicle, and continues to use this form of transport, which will play an important part in our future. Stuart says “We are now living with human induced climate change, effects that have been predicted for years by climate scientists. We owe it to our children and all species to act decisively and immediately to limit the damage. We have the skills and inventiveness to find the needed solutions, and are now being pushed even by our own school children to raise our game.”
Drusi Meggett came to Port Macquarie in 1994 with her family. Now retired, she has been a high school teacher, an IT analyst/programmer and a TAFE teacher. She has a long history of supporting community organisations such as Friends of the ABC, Climate Change Australia, Knitting Nannas and the P&C. She has been a member of the Greens for over 20 years. She is passionate about protecting the environment and Climate Action for sustainable development, renewable energy, and protecting our rivers, forests, lakes and oceans which are long term core Greens policies.
Les Mitchell has a professional background in natural resource management and a Masters in Applied Science. He is a very active member of a number of landcare and conservation organisations in the Port Macquarie Hastings area. He is particularly committed to the preservation and management of remaining bushland in this area and the long-term protection of koalas and other threatened species. Les is the President of Port Macquarie Landcare, Conservation Officer Hastings Birdwatchers, member of Climate Change Australia, Funding Officer Friends of Kooloonbung Creek Nature Park and a member of No Electricity from Forests.
Greens on Council will promote policies to ensure that all new, and where possible existing, residential areas have dedicated public transport and active transport infrastructure, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, housing with climateconscious design, universal disability access provisions, and high standards for energy and water efficiency including passive thermal heating and cooling design.
The Greens believe that there should be a windfall levy for rezoning land from rural to residential or industrial, as huge profits are made by landowners as a result of this rezoning. The enormous increase in value by the stroke of a pen by the Council should be shared with the community to build all of the infrastructure our community needs, from roads to libraries.
Written by Monica Hayes, authorised by James Ryan, The Greens, NSW, Glebe, Sydney.
DON’T LET TODAY’S CHALLENGES PREVENT YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS
You’d be forgiven for taking a short-term view lately, with local lockdowns snapping into place at a moment’s notice over recent months and changes affecting businesses almost every week.
However, if your business is in it for the long haul, it’s time to shift your gaze and look ahead to what the future might hold. When uncertainty is the only certainty, planning is more important than ever.
Some of our more proactive clients are already working with us to come up with projections, new plans and contingencies.
Take a moment to consider these key questions to make sure you’re ready for whatever is around the corner. 1. Why did you get into business? Where do you want to be in 10 years? Have your answers changed? If you’re still committed, then stay on track with your marketing, budgeting and activities linked to your longterm goals.
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ACCOUNTING SOLUTIONS
2. What will you do if the economic
recovery is slow? Consider what-if scenarios like losing clients or stalling growth so that you can make informed decisions if you need to.
3. How will you forecast when the
future is unknown? Past year figures no longer paint a reliable picture. Instead, we need to run modelling that looks at a range of possible scenarios such as changing client numbers, different pricing options and changing operations. 4. Have you been limping along? If you haven’t already, it’s time to invest in secure technology and integrated online systems that allow you to adapt quickly and work seamlessly from home (or the beach if you prefer!).
There’s no need to go it alone. Give the SeaChange team a call to discuss your concerns, and then if required we can do some interactive modelling and present reports to help you plan.
