2010 Mitsubishi Galant - Review

Tim Healey February 8th, 2010 By Tim Healey

Tim Healey

Contributing Writer BIO

Tim Healey was formerly an associate editor at Consumer Guide Automotive in Chicago. Before that he worked in the automotive industry as a service...More

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2010 Mitsubishi Galant

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Everything was going fine until I nearly killed the hawk. I was hustling along a back road in a 2010 Mitsubishi Galant, when the startled bird rose out of a ditch and nearly committed suicide by windshield.

Perhaps it was startled by the sight of the Galant--or the fact that the Galant is still on sale. As a brand, Mitsubishi has been fairly quiet over the past year or two, but that doesn't mean there are changes afoot for one of its best-known models--the Galant. The changes are of the subtraction variety, as the Galant loses its V-6 engine choice along with its sports-themed trim levels. What's left are the ES and SE trim levels, both powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 160 horsepower and pairs to a four-speed automatic transmission.

I had the chance to test a Galant SE, which offers standard features like satellite radio, an uplevel audio system, cruise control, an auxiliary input jack, fog lamps, a wireless cell phone link, 18-inch wheels, and heated front seats. Safety features include ABS, antiskid system, and traction control. SE models come with the Navigation and Rearview Camera Package, which includes, you guessed it: A navigation system and a rearview camera. The bill comes to $23,999, and the $720 destination fee makes the as-tested price $24,719.

The Galant sometimes gets lost in the mid-size shuffle, and that's too bad, because there is some value here. Galant is pretty sporty, with a quick acceleration response off the line. Steering is accurate and handling is sharp, but the trade-off is a stiff ride--especially when compared to the competition in this class.

The interior is handsome, but it's marred by too much plastic in places. Another flaw concerns the navigation system, which raises out of the center stack in a display that looks like a pop-up, but it doesn't go down. A further navigation-system annoyance is the trunk-mounted location for the map DVDs--you'll need to stop the car, get out, open the trunk, and manually change DVDs should you switch regions on a long road trip.

Speaking of the trunk, the opening is rather small, although there is enough usable space inside. Placing a suitcase inside for a trip to the airport was trickier than it should have been, thanks to that opening. Not only is it small, but the trunk-mounted DVD system for the navigation system gets in the way. Interior cargo space is about average for the class.

It's unusual to see a four-speed automatic transmission in this class, but it handles itself well, with no bad behavior. Fuel-economy is EPA estimated at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.

It might get lost in the Camry/Accord debates, but that doesn't mean the Galant should be completely overlooked. Sure, it's a bit behind the times, as the four-speed auto and the eternally propped-up nav screen can attest. But there are a decent amount of features available here for the money, and the car has some athleticism when pushed. The Galant's highway fuel-economy numbers will be attractive to some buyers, as well.

Yes, the Galant is alive. Someone should really notify the wildlife.