I don’t know what it is about the Mitsubishi Galant. But this is the second time I’ve driven it, and I still don’t love it. It’s not a bad car per se. It just doesn’t thrill me.
And I wanted it to.
I suppose most of the thrill-less-ness centers around the design.
In terms of exterior styling, the 2009 Galant is pretty blah. It’s kind of big and bulky with nothing that sets it apart and makes it sing. In fact, I think the “new” Galant looks a bit like the previous generation Nissan Maxima with its chunky C-pillars and wedgelike shape.
Mitsubishi boasts that that new Galant has a new hood, new grille, new wheels, new lower intake, new side outer panels and new taillights. But for all that new stuff, I really don’t see too much of a difference. Unless you look at the taillights with a subtle basket weave pattern etched under the lens. Those I really liked.
The test vehicle was a top-of-the-line Rave Red Ralliart model that had a base price of $27,974. Other than the Ralliart badging,18-inch wheels and slick wheel covers, I didn’t see anything visible that set it apart from the base ES model that starts at $21,774.
Part of the disappointment I experience with the Galant is that Mitsubishi has done an excellent job with the exterior styling of pretty much every other vehicle in its lineup. The Eclipse? Stunning. The Outlander? Well-styled and attractive. The Lancer Evo? Bold.
I wanted more from something that was “new.”
Slipping behind the wheel of the Galant Ralliart test vehicle was like stepping into a different world – certainly like stepping into a different car. There’s a lot of cool stuff here that just doesn’t match the exterior styling. The test vehicle had the black leather seating surfaces that nicely offset the brushed silver on the center stack. And the glowing orange gauge lighting in the Ralliart model was unusual, attractive and easy to read.
The Ralliart model also comes with leather-wrapped shift knob, aluminum trimmed pedals and a thumping Rockford Acoustic Design Audio (360-watt) system with six-disc CD player. Plus, the Sirius Satellite Radio comes with prepaid service for six months.
The test vehicle added the optional Navigation Package ($1,489), which was also well done. It was intuitive, and I liked the touch screen that was easy to, well, navigate. The one thing I would have changed was the housing of the system. It kind of pops up out of the center stack, looking like it should retract when you shut off the car. But it doesn’t. I’d like for it to be retractable.
While I do genuinely like the interior of the Galant, that isn’t quite enough to make me overlook the exterior styling. However, the powertrain that comes with the Ralliart model comes close.
Under the hood, the Galant Ralliart is powered by a 3.8-liter MIVEC V-6 engine that delivers 258 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. Other performance-related features on the Ralliart model include a five-speed Sportronic automatic transmission, Ralliart-tuned sport suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels.
I have very few complaints with the car's handling. Mitsubishi promises quick six-second 0-to-60 mph times, and though I didn’t time it, I don’t doubt it. The Galant Ralliart was very peppy and fun to drive. I enjoyed accelerating to merge with traffic, and passing maneuvers were a breeze. The steering was also incredibly stiff, which contributed to the sporty feel of the vehicle.
The only thing I didn’t like about the handling was the turning radius. It was very wide, and in tight city spaces it took some tricky maneuvering to get in and out of parking spaces.
The base Galant has a nice list of standard features including antilock brakes, cruise control, side-curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system. The top-tier Ralliart is stacked with standard goodies such as leather seats, aluminum trimmed pedals, traction control, automatic climate control, sunroof and heated front seats, there weren’t many options to add. But the Ralliart test vehicle did tack on navigation and a couple of accessories, so the as-tested price rang in just under $30K at $29,825.
If you never looked at the outside of the Galant Ralliart, it’s a really nice vehicle. It drives well, it’s peppy, it’s comfortable, and it affords a great driving position with eight-way power adjustable seats. Not to mention the fact that the price is right for all the amenities included at a standard level.
The interior styling and sporty powertrain almost make up for the lack of creativity in the exterior realm. But when it comes down to it, you’ve still got to look at it in the garage every day.
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