The 2012 Mitsubishi Galant has endured as a rental-fleet special, but sedan shoppers would do better with nearly every other mid-size four-door on the market.
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The Illinois-made Mitsubishi Galant has been in need of a redo for at least a few years, but it won't be getting one--it's one of a handful of vehicles due to be discontinued after the 2012 model year.
The Galant's been on the market in its current form since 2004, when it was last redesigned. In some ways, it resembles the last-generation Nissan Altima, and when it was introduced it appeared contemporary. The sheetmetal still looks handsome in a generic way, even a little understyled compared to some of the more exuberant designs of the now. The interior is just as economical--or more so, since its grainy plastics and stark instrumentation detract from a well-organized set of controls and a good driving position.
Time hasn't been kind to the Galant's performance. A V-6 edition used to share the 265-hp engine found in the Eclipse, but it was discontinued in 2010. Now there's just a four-cylinder model with an outdated four-speed automatic. With just 160 horsepower, the Galant's a rental-car special in all dynamic ways. Acceptable acceleration meets steering that's just firm enough, but the resilient ride quality also means the Galant's suspension bounds and crashes over bumps, At 20/27 mpg, fuel economy is respectable, but just about any mid-size family sedan will eclipse those numbers--and will eclipse the Galant in driving feel.
The Galant's drab, commercial-grade interior has good interior space. All passengers have good leg and head room. The rear seat doesn't fold down to extend the utility of the trunk, though, which means the Galant's as useful as most hybrid sedans.
Anti-lock brakes, dual-stage front airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, and side front and rear curtain airbags are all now standard on the Galant, as is stability control. The Galant hasn't been crash-tested under the new regimens devised by the NHTSA and the IIHS, and it won't be either, given its impending retirement.
Standard equipment on the Galant ES includes cruise control, air conditioning, keyless entry, and a 140-watt, six-speaker sound system. The SE adds automatic climate control, a power driver seat, heated front seats, hands-free Bluetooth, and a Rockford Fosgate audio system, as well as larger alloy wheels, a spoiler, and fog lamps. The SE also gains the navigation system and rearview camera integrated in its audio system.
For more on this family sedan, take a look at our most recent full review of the Mitsubishi Galant.
SE has navigation, BluetoothResilient ride qualityGood passenger spaceOutdated powertrainPoor driving dynamicsGas mileage lags competitorsNo recent safety scores
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