Living Up to the Lauding
Have you ever built your anticipation up for something so much that the reality of the final event doesn't measure up to the creativity of your imagination, or the imaginations of the marketing team behind the something you've been anticipating? I think we all have. Whether it's that blockbuster movie, popular restaurant, dream vacation or big business opportunity, sometimes the hype of hope fizzles into the yawn of yet another unfulfilled dream and life goes on, if not a bit less enchanting.
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| After all the hype, was it worth the wait? (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Sometimes for me it's like that with cars. I get the press release often a few months or so before a specific vehicle gets launched at a major auto show, which is usually about eight months before it reaches dealer showrooms. Often I get to drive the car long before its ready for public consumption, but for the most part I don't get my hands on it until after the fact. That's a lot of lead time to prime the anticipatory pump.
Its even worse when a new vehicle, like Nissan's Murano, is winning award after award plus praise and pandering from the automotive press, and for some reason, the planets not aligning or whatever, I haven't been able to test drive it. After such, it's hard to approach the vehicle in question as the unbiased scrutineer, to disagree with the auto journalist status quo and actually find fault with their number one collective choice. Of course the rebel in me tries even harder to do so.
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| The Murano pulls off premium quality at a bargain price. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
That's why it's even more difficult to admit when I can't find any problems. OK, every vehicle has its pros and cons, and the Murano is no different. Full-size SUVs haul more and compacts get better fuel economy, premium brands offer more goodies and bargain SUVs deliver on price. It's the balance of combinations that makes Nissan's new midsize sport utility so good.