2009 Mitsubishi Galant: What's New

Vehicle Overview
For 2009, Mitsubishi’s Galant midsize sedan receives some minor updates to the exterior of the car, and it’s offered in four trims, including a performance-oriented Ralliart version. The Galant is offered with either four-cylinder or V-6 power, and competitors include the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

Exterior
The 2009 Galant gets front and rear styling tweaks, but casual observers probably won’t notice. The sedan has a wide grille and rectangular headlights, and the new taillight design is more contemporary than the previous model’s.

Standard steel wheels measure 16 inches in diameter, but 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels are available. Fog lamps and a power moonroof are optional.

Interior
Inside, the Galant’s center control panel is busy-looking. Additionally, the various graining of dashboard plastic brings to mind a Dodge product, and that’s not a good thing. A touch-screen navigation system is optional for the Ralliart.

The Galant has room for up to five people on front bucket seats and a rear bench. For a midsize sedan, the Galant’s backseat is notably uncomfortable — the bottom cushion doesn’t provide much in the way of thigh support. With competitors like the Accord and Camry offering roomy backseats, this is a glaring problem. Cloth seats are standard and leather ones are optional.

Standard features include manual air conditioning, cruise control and a CD stereo. Moving up to the Sport Edition trim brings heated front seats, automatic air conditioning and a steering wheel with audio controls. Sport V6 trim levels gain a six-CD audio system and white-faced gauges. The Ralliart version includes aluminum pedals and a leather-wrapped shift knob.

Under the Hood
The base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 160 horsepower. It goes in ES and Sport Edition trims of the Galant. Moving up to the Sport V6 brings a 3.8-liter V-6 rated at 230 hp, while the top-of-the-line Ralliart uses a more powerful version of the V-6 that makes 258 hp. A four-speed automatic is used with the four-cylinder, but V-6 models have a five-speed automatic. The transmissions have Mitsubishi’s Sportronic feature that lets the driver control gear changes.

Safety
Antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags are standard.