- Competes with: Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord
- Looks like: The most boring sedan ever
- Drivetrain: 160-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder with four-speed automatic; 230-hp 3.8-liter V-6 with five-speed automatic; 258-hp 3.8-liter V-6 with five-speed automatic
- Hits dealerships: On its way now
We don’t get it. Mitsubishi goes through the trouble of revising the Galant for 2009 and doesn’t add its new corporate face to the front end, like it did to the just-unveiled 2009 Eclipse. Instead, a coma-inducing trapezoidal grille adorns the front end and makes the thought of another Galant update with no substantial mechanical upgrades a bit tiresome.
What is new is a Sport model slated between the ES and Ralliart trim levels. There’s a Sport Value Package with the same four-cylinder engine as the ES, but with top-end features like a moonroof, heated cloth seats and 17-inch wheels. The Sport V-6 has a 230-hp V-6 engine which offers a slight step-down from the more aggressive Ralliart model with 258 hp.
While the front-end design doesn’t do it for us, the rear looks good. It steals the looks from the popular new Lancer with thin, slanted taillights. The interior remains relatively unchanged with a new type of plastic used to cover the center console. We’re also surprised that the Galant still doesn’t offer stability control, even as an option.
We’re guessing a radically reworked Galant is still two years away at least. Hopefully, it will look like the recent ZT concept instead of going down the middle of the road in terms of looks. More photos below.
