If you are in the market for a midsize family sedan that can double as an adrenaline pumping, s-curve hugging weekend getaway machine, you should give Mitsubishi's Galant a good long look. The Galant sedan has been around for a few years and this current model has more than proven itself as a reliable and fun to drive car. Although it faces tough competition from cars like the new Accord and Camry, the Galant can still hold its own against these much newer models. Though the Accord and Camry do offer a bit more shoulder room, the Galant has as much rear-seat legroom as the Accord and bests both sedans in the area of front seat legroom.
The true measure of the Galant's value can be found in two important areas: price and performance. The Galant sedan is offered in DE, ES, LS and GTZ trim. The Galant DE, ES and LS models come standard with a gutsy 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine teamed to an adaptive four-speed automatic transmission. In this price range, we think you'll find that this is one of the best automatics on the market today. Mitsubishi's adaptive transmission actually learns your driving habits and adjusts its shift patterns to better meet your desired way of driving. If you like jack rabbit starts and quick passing, the transmission will alter itself to shift higher up in the rev band; if you are more concerned with fuel economy, the transmission will gear itself to use as little fuel as possible. No mater how you drive, you'll find the Galant's adaptive automatic to be an outstanding performer, especially when teamed to the V6.
Did we forget to mention the V6? It can be ordered on the ES and LS models and comes standard on the performance-oriented GTZ. The Galant's V6 is a 3.0-liter engine rated at 195 horsepower. Though rarely advertised, the Galant's torque rating of 205 lb-ft at 4000 rpm is a much more impressive statistic; that's because torque is what gives a car its ability to launch quickly from standing start and also summon the extra power needed when passing at high speeds. The Galant's V6 is as smooth as anything we've tested from the competition and provides an excellent balance of power and fuel economy. Though the GTZ uses the same V6 engine as the ES and LS, the car somehow feels more aggressive in this trim. Perhaps it is the GTZ's firmer sport-tuned suspension and larger stabilizer bars that allow the car to move confidently at higher speeds? Whatever the reason, if you opt for the GTZ, you'll probably enjoy most everything about the car. Unfortunately, if you like to shift your own gears, you'll be out of luck since the GTZ does not offer a manual transmission.
Inside the Galant, you'll find a pleasing blend of rich fabrics and soft touch plastics. The Galant's interior is the one place that does betray the car's age. The dash design is simple and straight forward placing all of the controls within easy reach. The seats offer good support and generally feel pretty comfortable over extended hours of driving, though you may find them to be a bit narrow. We did like the tall center armrest, but found it a bit annoying that you have to flip it open to access the second cup holder. Unlike some of the Galant's newer rivals, features such as on-board navigation, curtain side-airbag and advanced traction control are not available. You may also notice that on all models except the DE, the rear seat offers a folding pass-through feature, but the entire rear seatback does not fold flat, hindering the Galant's ability to carry long or bulky items that exceed the trunk's capacity. On higher end models, you can opt for the Mitsubishi/Infinity sound system that will probably blow out an eardrum before it blows a speaker.
DE models come standard with air conditioning, AM/FM stereo with CD, power windows and door locks, tilt wheel and an engine immobilizer system. That's a pretty good haul for a car with a base MSRP of just $18,347 including destination. If you find you prefer a better equipped sedan, the ES ups the ante by adding fog lights, cruise control, rear seat pass through, remote keyless entry and color-keyed side mirrors. LS models add 15-inch alloy wheels, dual front-side-impact airbags, one-touch power glass sunroof, adjustable driver's seat lumbar support and a 210-watt Infinity sounds system with seven speakers. The V6 models get 4-wheel disc brakes and 16-inch wheels while the GTZ comes fully loaded with no additional options.
