Mitsubishi Galant Interior Review
The Galant has a roomy, comfortable interior. The seats are supportive without being overly firm. The GTS seats seem to offer a bit more support because of the leather upholstery. Also, the LS and GTS offer more adjustments. A dead pedal is positioned on the same plane as the accelerator, giving the driver a place to brace the left leg when cornering or for reduced strain on long trips.
Galant matches the generous front legroom in the Honda Accord, but Accord offers about a half-inch more headroom with a sunroof, and nearly an inch more without. Taller people should think twice about ordering the sunroof, as it reduces front headroom by 2 inches. Otherwise, interior roominess is comparable to that of the Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima, placing it among the roomiest sedans in the class. Visibility is good all around, notably to the rear quarters, thanks to slim C-pillars. The high beltline gives passengers a secure feeling.
Controls are right-sized and easy to use, with knobs and buttons and rocker switches galore. The HVAC (heater) knobs are big and easy to operate even with gloves on. The A/C indicator is hard to see in bright sunlight, however. At night the instruments are cobalt blue on black.
Quality of materials is hit and miss, with the climate control and audio panel a big hit, making the rest more of a miss than it'd otherwise be. The dash has a clinical look, friendly to the eyes but cold and austere in presence. Geometric shapes and angles in the steering wheel spokes don't mesh well with the slopes, arcs and arches of the gauge cluster. The interior of the basic DE model is quite plain, of course, while the GTS features new Blackwood trim for a richer look. The standard steering wheel doesn't feel like a high-quality piece; a nicer leather-wrapped wheel comes with the Diamond Package and GTS. Each door has a storage pocket. Two medium-size cup holders are molded into the front center console rearward of the shift gate; where dust, dirt and spilled liquids are likely to require regular wipe-ups.
The rear seat is reasonably roomy and adequate, though the seating position is a bit low and the bottom cushions could offer a bit more thigh support. Rear-seat passengers enjoy decent headroom in spite of the Galant's dramatically sloping roofline.
The Galant's trunk is slightly smaller than Accord's, and its trunk opening is a bit restricted. Galant's rear seats cannot be folded down to extend the cargo space, a significant omission in this segment.
Mitsubishi Galant Road Test
The Mitsubishi Galant delivers a smooth, quiet ride, thanks largely to its stiff platform, wide stance and long wheelbase. Minimal noise leaks into the cabin, just a slight rumble from the tires and a discernible whistle from the exterior mirrors at highway speeds.
The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine in the DE and ES features Mitsubishi's Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control (MIVEC), which switches between two different cam profiles for optimum power, response, and efficiency at high and low engine speeds. The Galant four-cylinder develops 160 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 157 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, competitive figures for the class.
The V6 makes freeway merging easy. Passes on two-lane roads are completed without drama. The V6 is rated 230 horsepower and, more important, 250 pound-feet of torque, a substantial figure; torque is that force that propels the car from intersections and up hills.
The four-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly, although it does hunt a bit in hilly territory. With the Sportronic feature, it shifts automatically in normal mode, but can be switched into a semi-manual mode for more control; it will not shift up or down automatically when in the manual mode, giving the driver full control over shifting.
For its size and heft, the Galant feels decently planted on all but the most twisting roads. The GTS model's suspension feels firm. The DE/ES/LS suspension is softer, allowing the car to move around a little more when driven hard.
V6 models come standard with electronic traction control, which can selectively apply the brakes at one or more wheels and/or reduce engine power to control wheel spin on uncertain surfaces.
Brake feel is solid and reassuring, but the Galant is no lightweight. Anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution is standard on the V6-powered LS and GTS, optional on ES. EBD proportions braking pressure between the front and rear wheels depending on how the car is loaded, and changes pressure dynamically as weight shifts forward under hard braking. The idea is to send the brake pressure to the wheels with the most weight on them, which is where it can do the most good. This gives the Galant stable braking performance.
Mitsubishi Galant Lineup
Mitsubishi Galant comes in four models: DE ($18,999) and ES ($19,899) are powered by a 160-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and come standard with a four-speed automatic transmission.
LS ($22,499) and GTS ($26,499) feature a 230-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6. They also come with a four-speed automatic transmission, but with a Sportronic mode for semi-manual shifting.
Standard features on all Galants include air conditioning; front and side-impact airbags; height-adjustable driver's seat; power windows, door locks and exterior mirrors; AM/FM/CD stereo; four-wheel disc brakes; carpeted floor mats; and electronic lock-out protection. DE, ES and LS come with steel wheels and 215/60R16 all-season tires. Rear-seat heater ducts have been added as standard equipment on 2005 Galants.
ES and LS get premium cloth-trimmed seating surfaces plus titanium interior trim, cruise control, six instead of four audio speakers, an audio information display, and some minor trim items. In addition to the V6 engine, the LS also comes with larger front disc brakes with ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); traction control; and a power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support. A power driver's seat is now standard on 2005 Galant LS models.
ABS with EBD is available on the ES as a stand-alone option ($500). ES also offers optional 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels ($300); while ES and LS offer the power glass sunroof ($800), and a Sport Package ($363) consisting of a chromed exhaust tip and rear spoiler. Leather is available on LS ($1,185) and ES ($1,485) and adds the power driver's seat to the latter. The ultimate Diamond Package ($1,262) for ES and LS adds 16-inch aluminum wheels; titanium center panel with blue LED display; AM/FM/6-disc CD changer with 8-speakers, diversity antenna and steering wheel controls; leather-wrapped steering wheel; and other items.
The GTS adds automatic climate control; power glass sunroof; leather upholstery with Blackwood interior trim (new for 2005); a titanium-finished center panel; leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls; heated front seats and side mirrors; Mitsubishi/Infinity 270-watt stereo with six-disc CD changer and eight speakers; color dot-matrix audio display with outside temperature, calendar and compass; white-on-black gauges; color-keyed rear spoiler; special tail lamps; sporty-sounding muffler; a panic alarm button on the keyless remote; 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels with lower profile tires; and a front suspension strut tower brace. The Cold Zone Package is now standard on 2005 Galant GTS models. No options are available for the GTS.