The engine in the LS and GTS is a larger, more-pistony 3.8-liter SOHC V6 with 230 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. With Sportronic controls available only on the V6, it's a decent shifter that shocks only by the lack of a fifth gear. A five-speed automatic is in development for the life cycle, but there's no indication it's very near. Against five-speed Accords, Camrys and even Explorers, the Galant's most striking omission is one you'll notice every time you pull it out of Park.
Under its Altima-like skin, the Galant rides on MacPherson struts up front on subframe and multi-link in the rear. The ride motions are mostly pleasant on the lesser models: hustle the four-cylinder LS around and it absorbs most road impacts well. Tighten up the line into a curve and you notice more imprecision in the rear end, a little squirm and some movement before it settles into tire squeal. The GTS is significantly tauter but probably a bridge too far in terms of ride quality. Who wants a family sedan that rides like a sports coupe? (Put your hands down...it's a rhetorical question, dammit.)
The Galant's steering is well done, as are the brakes and their even modulation and short pedal travel. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on V6 cars, and optional on the ES; electronic brake distribution comes with the ABS system. Base cars have 16-inch wheels with 60-series tires; 17-inch aluminum wheels with 55-series rubber are available with the GTS, and a ten-spoke wheel can be had on the ES and LS.
Trading spaces
Is the Galant the most handsome Mitsubishi ever? We'll leave that to the guys with queer eyes for those things. We can say it looks like a Dodge Intrepid, only narrower, mated to a Nissan Altima. The Galant's height has been increased by more than two inches, to 57.9 inches. Rear legroom is up an inch to 37 inches, 57.1 inches of rear shoulder room. And the body is 100 percent stiffer twisting and 140 percent bending.
Inside it's a roomy affair. It's the trim that's the major letdown. Semi-industrial trim covers the dash, door caps and the steering wheel. The center console has similar issues and could use a gaggle of five gay men to touch it up. Trim on the lesser versions is not even as nice as that-but the fake maple on the GTS is too low-matte to approach reality.
The bottom line
What you get with the Galant depends on the letters you choose. The GTS gets everything: leather is standard (optional on ES and LS), as are 17-inch wheels, white-face gauges, and a power driver's seat. A power driver seat is optional on the ES and LS. Standard on the GTS are side airbags. All cars get 140-watt audio with four speakers and a CD player; a 270-watt eight speaker Infinity Premium audio package is optional on the ES and LS and standard on the GTS.The bottom line: the Galant is a basic vehicle that covers all the bases. It doesn't break ground with stability or roll control or a radical new shape, but it no longer sidelines Mitsu with tech overkill or a too-compact size.