The
2010 Mitsubishi Galant sedan lays claims to at least one stake here in the Prairie State. It joins a handful vehicles built on Illinois soil. Who said only corn and soy beans flourish in the fertile Land of Lincoln?
Built in the Central Illinois college town of Normal, the mid-size Galant also joins Eclipse coupe/ convertible and Endeavor crossover as production mates at the Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) plant. The facility opened in the late 1980s and celebrates its 22nd anniversary of production in 2010. It's the Japanese automaker's sole U.S. assembly plant and produced its three millionth car in October of 2009.
The front-wheel drive Galant (all-wheel drive is not offered) includes a great array of standard equipment and excellent cadre of safety features. Mechanically, it does little to stand out from the crowed mid-size pack but fills the bill for most families. In 2010, Mitsubishi simplifies Galant's trim calculus by dropping the V-6 engine, a slow-selling sport edition and marketing just two four-cylinder trims: ES and up level SE. No option packages and a smattering of stand-alone nuances are available. Shopping for a Galant is straight forward with few side distractions. Nice touch.
The ES trim starts at $21,559 while SE lists at $23,999. Both come standard with at 2.4-liter, single overhead cam engine delivering 160 horsepower. The four banger is attached to a standard four-speed automatic transmission. Many rivals have graduated to a five or even six-speed automatic or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an infinite range of forward gears. With refinements to the 2010 powertrain, Galant proudly attains the coveted 30 miles-per-gallon highway rating. The relatively large 17.7 gas tank requires regular unleaded fuel. By comparison, a 2.5 four-cylinder 2010 Toyota Camry with automatic transmission generates 169 horses generating 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. Camry checks in at $20,445 for a base model with automatic transmission, but without many of the standard features as Galant sports.
Our tester SE with standard seven-inch LCD touch screen listed at $23,999 with no extras and a $720 destination charge for a bottom line of $24,719.
It's quite noticeable once positioned behind the wheel that Galant's seating position is lower than many comparable sedans. This low rider perch is at home in sport coupes (like the sharp-looking Eclipse) but some less mobile Baby Boomers may find this more of a debit rather than a credit. Cushioning is on the softer side while the cabin is pleasantly roomy. Headroom and leg room remain decent.
The flat analog instrument panel includes a large center speedometer gauge, half-circle tachometer gauge to the left and two quarter gauges right. All get backlit at night. Kudos for incorporating LARGE ventilation dials controlling fan speed, temperature and direction. The user-friendly dashboard layout provides drivers with large dials, displays and stalks available at a quick glance or reach. Visually, however, the scheme looks a bit dated; notably because newly restyled or debuting mid-size rivals have added soft-touch dashboard materials and two-tone visuals. Galant's center stack with sound system and ventilation dials below are ensconced in brushed aluminum contrasting with the black dash simulate dark wood trim.
The trunk latch lever is on the floor left of the drive's seat. The floor mounted four-speed automatic transmission has dual inline beverage holders to the rear along with a hand-operated parking brake and topped-off storage bin. The glove box is averaged sized. The large cabin accommodates three adults in back. Seatbacks do not fold down with a 60/40 split but this year include a fold-down arm rest with small trunk-access door behind. Trunk cargo volume is a rather diminutive 13.3 cubic feet but strut-type hinges outside the cargo area help stow larger boxes.
Galant SE includes pre-wiring for Sirius Satellite radio and three months free subscription (after which families can choose if this feature continues with a small monthly fee). Also standard in this top trim is a DVD navigation system atop the center stalk with built-in rear-view camera operating when the transmission in reverse. Secondary radio controls are found on the back side of the steering wheel where finger tips do the walking with hands and palms gripped firmly to the wheel. All models include an input jack for plugging in IPods and MP3 players. Sun visors include extenders
Outside ES includes 16-inch all-season tires with steel wheel covers while the up level SE sports 18-inch all-seasons with aluminum alloy wheels. The SE trim has a small wind spoiler at the end of the trunk lid. The square side view mirrors are averaged sized. Both tail lights and head light housing are small and squarish. A narrow rear "C" pillar opens more visual room for drivers so perception is good in all directions.
Another feather in Galant's cap is a nice array of standard equipment. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic brake for distribution, stability control, dual front air bags, front seat mounted side air bags and curtain air bags for both rows of seating.
The brake pedal, not overly sensitive or cushy, has a nice tempered feel. The four-cylinder engine includes a nice throttle sound, and not overly muffled. Handling and responsiveness are surprisingly pleasant with little body sway during turns. Variable assist power rack and pinion steering also makes maneuvering this sedan a breeze.
Since Mitsubishi lacks the marketing muscle of its larger Japanese rivals, many folks may not realize Galant includes one of the industry's longest-duration limited powertrain warranties: 10 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). No auto manufacturer boasts a longer time window (although Suzuki and Hyundai also offer the decade-long coverage).
Galant is a capable transport with a healthy long-term powertain warranty helping peace of mind. The mid-size's biggest challenge comes from comparably sized sedans many of which have debuted next-generation offerings with advanced transmissions and snappier interiors. That being the case, look for Mitsubishi dealers to be more than flexible when negotiating the bottom line for a 2010 Galant.