Secondary and primary schools are going back after summer, and it\u2019s that time of year when parents get back into the grind of doing the school run (unless the kids walk, bike or take the bus, of course).\u00a0 Cars that have taken the family to the beach or on holiday go back to being Mum\u2019s Taxi (or Dad\u2019s Taxi), if they\u2019re appropriate.<\/p>\n
But is your car the best possible Mum\u2019s Taxi out there?\u00a0 Take the quiz to find out:<\/p>\n
1: How many seats does your car have?<\/p>\n
(a ) Five
\n(b) Four \u2013 two bucket sports seats in the front and two very small ones in the back
\n(c) Seven
\n(d) Three, one right by the driver\u2019s elbow where the occupant will get bumped during a gear change.<\/p>\n
2: How many doors does your car have?<\/p>\n
(a ) two or three (rear hatches count as doors)
\n(b) two
\n(c) Four, or else two plus a sliding panel van-style and a rear hatch.
\n(d) two, but if you open the passenger\u2019s side, several tools, an old newspaper and a hat will fall out on top of the opener.<\/p>\n
3: What comfort features does your car have?<\/p>\n
(a) Air-con and electric windows, and the front seats can slide forward and back
\n(b) Dual-zone climate control, leather seats, rake-and-tilt adjustable sports steering wheel, automatically retracting hood
\n(c) Dual-zone (or even three-zone) climate control, filters, electronically adjustable seats, tinted glass, heated seats front and rear, anti-pinch electric windows, etc.
\n(d) The seats are padded and you can open the window most of the time\u2013 does that count?<\/p>\n
4: What passive safety features does your car have?<\/p>\n
(a) A few airbags, inertia reel or pretensioned seatbelts, child restraint preparation in the rear
\n(b) A roll cage and front air bags
\n(c) Anti-submarining seats, pretensioned seatbelts, airbags for Africa, crumple zones,
\n(d) Seatbelts, but you\u2019ll have to fish around to find the bit you plug them into and use that bra-strap adjustment to get it them the right size.<\/p>\n
5: What other bells and whistles does your car have?<\/p>\n
(a) a CD player\/radio, keyless entry, trip computer
\n(b) Check out my stereo and the extra-big after-market speakers in the back! If it\u2019s to do with the sound system, I\u2019ve got it.
\n(c) GPS, hands-free phone, keyless entry, follow-me-home lights, rear seat DVD, trip computer with the works…
\n(d) A radio that picks up AM frequencies only when you\u2019re travelling in an east\u2013west direction and a horn that works.<\/p>\n
6: How big is your boot?<\/p>\n
(a) Average
\n(b) How big a boot do you expect in a coup\u00e9?
\n(c) Massive (in a sedan), or else it varies depending on whether the rear seats fold down.
\n(d) The ute deck\u2019s enormous, but I hope it doesn\u2019t rain or your stuff\u2019ll get wet.<\/p>\n
7: Your car can be described as a…<\/p>\n
(a) hatchback (e.g. Suzuki Swift), sedan (e.g. Toyota Corolla or BMW 3-series) or smaller SUV (e.g. Isuzu MU)
\n(b) roadster or sports coup\u00e9 (e.g. BMW Z4 or Mazda MX-5))
\n(c) MPV (e.g. Honda Odyssey), large 4×4 (e.g. Hyundai Santa Fe) or van (e.g. Ford Transit)
\n(d) workhorse (e.g. Toyota Hilux)<\/p>\n
Mostly As: Your car is a reasonable Mum\u2019s Taxi.\u00a0 It has a few drawbacks that hold it back from being the perfect car for the school run, but you\u2019ll get there in one piece and with everyone\u2019s sanity and temper reasonably intact.<\/p>\n
Mostly Bs: Your car is the one the adolescent boys love to have used as Mum\u2019s Taxi. One word of warning, though: better hide the keys once they learn to drive, or they\u2019ll nick it to impress their mates.<\/p>\n
Mostly Cs: Your car is the epitome of Mum\u2019s Taxi \u2013 a perfect vehicle for taking large numbers of children and adolescents from A to B in comfort and style.\u00a0 Expect to be in demand for school trips, sports club outings, Boy Scout\/Girl Guide camps, etc.<\/p>\n