I’ve never thought much of the Mitsubishi Galant, even though it has won a magazine comparison test here and there. Now I’ve actually driven a 2002 Galant ES for a few hundred miles. And I think even less of it.

Mitsubishi Galant Reliability

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Styling

The current Galant, like a number of past Mitsubishi sedans, is designed to resemble a BMW sedan. I’m never much for knocking off someone else’s car (see my Lexus LS 430 review by clicking the link), but my biggest problem here is the car just doesn’t look right, even ignoring the stolen cues. The proportions are off, largely because the eye wants the rear wheel further rearward. As it is, the rear half of the car looks compacted compared to the front half. For the last few years a long wheelbase and short overhangs have been the style. For example, the Infiniti G35 is an inch shorter in length, yet has an 8.5" longer wheelbase. Mitsubishi needs to get with the program.

The problems with the exterior pale next to those of the interior. In the past Mitsubishi designed some excessively busy interiors chock full of the latest gimmicks. That’s not the problem here. Instead, this is just an ugly interior. Officially the interior color of my rental was “gray.” But most of the pieces had a bluish tinge to them, to varying degrees. The cheap spongy fabric on the doors was a light bluish gray. From the color, I initially thought it had faded, as it was the color such material often fades to over time. Except this car was manufactured in March. Other interior pieces were darker hues. None matched the others. Were they supposed to? Some were close enough in shade that I suspected they were, but maybe Mitsubishi’s interior people just took a very relaxed approach towards suppliers and gave each one a broad target to aim for. Textures varied in a similar fashion.

The styling of the interior was similarly off. The central air vents were rectangular, the outer two were rectangular on the outside half and curved on the inside half. If a half-and-half approach is to be taken, and I’m not sure what the logic would be in any case, my eye (and that of my wife, who said the same thing when I asked what looked funny about the vents) says the outside half should have been curved. This is just one example. I general the interior looks as if it were designed and manufactured by multiple groups with minimal communication among them. The overall theme has no clear styling direction, and recalls Japanese car interiors of the early 1980s. I suspect engineers were running the show.

I almost left out the most hideous part of the interior—the instrument cluster. The instruments are quarter-inch clear swaths in a common aqua plastic background. I cannot do it justice here, other than to say that I never gazed at the instruments without thinking how ugly they were in so many ways.

Accommodations

The specs put this car within an inch or two of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in key exterior and interior dimensions, with the notable exception of wheelbase, which on the Galant is about three inches less. The numbers lie, for this is a much tighter car than those inside.

I had adequate room in the front seat, but I’m only 5Í”. Supposedly front leg room maxes out at 43.5, a generous amount, but I drove the Galant with the seat all the way back, something I generally cannot do. So taller drivers might not be happy. On the plus side, driver’s seat height is manually adjustable. Maybe that 43.5 number is with the seat all the way up? That’s way up, but generally dimensions are measured with the seat set fairly low. The seat itself was fairly comfortable, despite being covered in cheap-looking gray velour. In turns it offered minimal lateral support, but that’s par for this class of car. The top-of-the-line GTZ likely has more supportive seats.

Despite competitive stats, rear seat room is very lacking compared to the Accord, Camry, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, etc. My knees made contact with the front seatbacks. The cushion was far too low to provide thigh support, and the seatback was reclined a bit much for comfort. Adults will not be happy back here.

Trunk space is good, and the rear seats fold down for more cargo room.

On the Road

On the road things got a bit better. The 140 horsepower four-cylinder engine moves the car adequately, and makes refined noises even when pushed. The similar-sized engines in the Altima, Sonata, and Optima sound agricultural in comparison. Excepting early motorcars, Mitsubishi has been building large fours longer than anyone. A quarter century ago they developed and produced twin balance shafts to smooth the vibrations inherent in such engines. Though other companies have licensed Mitsubishi's design, the Galant's base engine shows that they are still among the leaders in developing refined four-cylinder engines.

The four-speed automatic transmission shifted smoothly and downshifted readily. My trip including some hilly terrain, yet I noticed no hunting between gears. On the highway, this powertrain averaged nearly 30 miles per gallon.

Handling was typical for a Japanese family sedan, competent if a bit mushy. Lean in turns was moderate. The steering had the "rubber band" feel I’ve noted in a number of Japanese cars. Effort builds progressively as you turn the wheel, but it feels artificial, as if you were stretching a rubber band. Very little is communicated about the road surface. Hopefully the performance-oriented GTZ includes better steering, because the system in the car I drove lent the car a bland pedestrian personality despite the otherwise competent chassis.

The Galant generally rode well, even over the unpaved road that leads to my in-laws house. I was actually surprised at how quiet the car was on fairly smooth surfaces, even at 70 MPH. This is a good car to cover highway miles in, making it an excellent rental.

Pricing

The car I drove would sticker for just over $19,000, with a likely final price after dealer discounts and a $1,500 rebate of $16,500. That’s not much for a family sedan, especially not one from a Japanese brand, but this isn’t much of a family sedan. The Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima twins are more attractive, roomier, and cheaper, just over $15,000 after discounts and rebates even with a V6. That’s the way I’d probably go for a non-sporting family sedan in this price range. For a better driving, higher quality car, the Honda Accord LX is an excellent choice, but runs around $18,500, so you pay for it.

Last Words

This car belongs in rental fleets. Inept styling, subpar materials, and a cramped interior make it a poor choice.

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Amount Paid (US$): 19,000
Model and Options: ES four-cylinder