Mitsubishi Galant 2007 Ralliart
OSOYOOS, B.C.—Mitsubishi owners are enthusiasts; they kind of have to be. The company makes good cars, but they're not compellingly better than their major competitors, most of which have more robust dealer networks and a longer history in Canada.
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Remarkably, of the total number of entry-level Lancers Mitsubishi sells in our country, more than 60 per cent of them are the performance-oriented Ralliart model. Good reason, then, for the company to apply the same formula to its attractive midsize sedan, the Galant.
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Replacing the old GTS model at the top of the Galant trim tree, the $34,998 Galant Ralliart certainly gives you a lot of visual punch. There are unique two-tone bumpers at the front and rear; a large-format exhaust pipe pokes through an attractively styled rear diffuser. Up front, the grille has been redesigned with a new pattern and a subtle red-and-yellow Ralliart logo.
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There are side body skirts, unique projector-beam headlamps and fog lamps, and new rear lights. There's a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, the same ones used on the high-performance versions of the Eclipse, but finished here with a dark silver colour that hides brake dust — and looks very aggressive indeed. Topping it all off are some unique paint colours, including a gorgeous pearlescent white and a sizzling copper/orange.
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The Galant looks and feels like a big car. Legroom front and rear is impressive, as is the rear headroom. As for front-seat headroom, if you're short like me and move the seat most of the way forward, you find yourself under the sweeping roofline and with your hair brushing the headliner. This, even with the seat in the lowest position.
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Standard equipment is comprehensive. The Ralliart comes with power windows, mirrors, locks and driver's seat as well as a large sunroof that significantly lightens the cabin atmosphere. Satellite navigation is also standard, a major selling point in a class where such systems usually cost upwards of $2,000 as an option.
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That said, the interior sometimes lacks the attention to detail you get in some of its less-sporty Japanese competitors. At night, only the driver's window switch is lit, and by day, the display that combines the radio readout with the trip computer and navigation system is dim and almost impossible to read, even when turned to its brightest setting.
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Under the squared-off, macho hood lurks Mitsubishi's familiar 3.8-litre MIVEC V6, which also sees service in the Eclipse sports coupe and the Endeavor SUV. Until now, the most powerful version of the Galant was the GTS, with 230 horsepower. The Ralliart bumps that number to 258 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque — essentially the same state of tune as the Eclipse GT.
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It's some piece of work: buttery-smooth at idle right through to redline and revving like a Honda when pushed. The sound is fantastic, too. All V6 Galants (there's also an LS model priced at less then $29,000) now come with a five-speed automatic transmission, up a gear from the four-speed used previously. It shifts smoothly and positively and offers the ability to tip back and forth between gears in a separate shift gate. The extra gear really makes a difference in freeway passing performance and in-town responsiveness, giving it more zip off the line and plenty of go on winding roads.
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Indeed, sometimes it seems like there may be a bit too much go. Give the Ralliart a lot of gas from a standing start and you're treated to a festival of torque steer as the front tires scrabble for traction (and sometimes tug you into the next lane). Even with a standard-fit traction control system and large 18-inch tires at the front, the engine's power can often be felt through the steering wheel — whether you're pulling out to pass or cruising on rutted highways.
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Improvements to the chassis include a sport-tuned suspension with stiffer springs and dampers, 18-inch tires, larger anti-roll bars and other changes. The body lean and woolly feeling in corners other Galants exhibit has been banished. Chuck the Ralliart into a corner with the lively steering and it shows fine path accuracy and is resistant to deflection by mid-corner bumps; cornering speeds are impressively high given this car's size and weight.
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Other pluses include powerful brakes and a smooth, well-damped ride that feels almost like a BMW's. Two major demerits in town are its large turning circle and big blind spots — flaws that make the Galant Ralliart less manoeuvrable than it should be.
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It's easy to overlook some of those flaws in light of the value the Galant Ralliart offers, though. At less than $35,000, it is cheaper than a comparably equipped Nissan Altima SE-R, a Mazdaspeed6, Toyota Camry SE-V6 or a Honda Accord EX V6. Only the Accord offers navigation, and adding that takes its price over the Ralliart's.
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While some of these vehicles may offer more interior quality or a bit more sophistication, they also offer less of the personality Mitsubishi buyers want. In this group, the Galant's styling is a standout and its sporty interior trim and standard navigation system up the gadget factor for enthusiasts.
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For the last year, Mitsubishi Canada has been reporting to head office in Japan rather than its U.S. subsidiary, which has led to a host of changes within its product lineup. The Galant Ralliart is one of them, as is the company's simplified, and less-expensive, overall lineup.
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In the next 24 months, we'll see the introduction of the new Evolution at the head of a Lancer lineup that will span a price range from $15,000 to $50,000 — and will include performance-oriented versions offering all-wheel drive and Brembo brakes well under the price of a top-of-the-line Evo.
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The company also promises to introduce some novel technology to our market, including paddle shifters, a new "Super AWD" system and even CVT and dual-clutch sequential transmissions.
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Seen against the promise of so much candy, the Galant Ralliart is thus very much a stepping stone for the company in Canada rather than a revolutionary new model. But it's very much a step in the right direction.
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wheels@thestar.ca; ? ?
Mitsubishi Galant 2007 Ralliart
Source: https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/2007-mitsubishi-galant-ralliart/
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