If it takes a while to get aquainted, on the other hand, then the LP is almost guaranteed an elongated stay in the easier-to-reach section of the CD shelf.
Where all of this is going is the fact that I didn't much like the latest Renault Clio the first time I sat behind the wheel.
The steering felt a little too remote and electronic, and the seat rake adjustment left me sitting on the floor or looking down on the wheel in the way that roller coasters leave you looking down on the back of the head in front of you.
Oh, and it felt quite definitely as though I was sitting in a car built for girls.
Plays
But then, after just a couple of "plays", I changed my mind.
Quite simply, I'd been driving one of the best - if not the best cars - which will grace my path this year.
And I'm not alone. This week some of the world's top motoring commentators have decided that the new Clio is worthy of the honour of being named Car Of The Year 2006.
So why is, that I'm now singing the praises of Renault's third generation Clio - or Clio III as the French motoring giant prefer to call it?
Well a lot of the appeal lies in the fact that the Clio's cornucopia of clever gadgets - most standard features - acquit themselves tremendously well.
Headlights which "steer" around corners distracted me at first, then became a cool and innovative way of seeing things more clearly.
The keyless card entry and stop/start ignition system bamboozled me for fully four days, but then I discovered how to use it properly and I was immediately reminded of the kind of geek chich pride I felt when I first played with an iPod.
Even the adaptive steering system which had felt overly electronic in those first few hours became a beautifully-weighted, harmonious delight.
At first glance, the Clio looked like a Renault group car which had had its bottom squeezed by a giant pair of Gallic fingers, but then it morphed into one of the most stylish and modern hatchback interpretations around.
Oh, and call me metrosexual if you will, but the overall driving experience is definitely one built with both boys and girls in mind. The Clio I was given to test drive was of the 1.4litre petrol variety and boasted a Dynamique trim - second to the top of a range including Extreme, Expression, Dynamique and Dynamique S.
Cabin
It was comfortabley and sporty, with plenty of space in the cabin and boot.
The dash was finished in a quality rubberised plastic and is adorned stylish dials and buttons - including a "letter box" style screen providing adequate information from the optional sat nav system.
And while I like faster cars, I could still live with the 1.4litre engine in my test car. If you too would prefer something a little quicker then you can choose from six, comprising 1.2litre, 1.4litre and 1.6litre petrol or three variations of 1.5litre diesel.
On top of all that you get an NCAP safety rating of five stars, a super low insurance group and a relatively frugal 43 miles per gallon.
It all adds up to a car which is the automotive equivalent of a CD single release - yet with the stature of an epic classic album.
