2007 Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart .
In 2007, Mitsubishi Canada finally managed to sever its ties with Mitsubishi USA, which had traditionally called the shots for the company. Now Mitsubishi in Canada reported directly to Tokyo, which was, depending upon your point of view, either good or bad.
Good because the Americans, who really couldn't have cared less about anything outside of their own country, and never really understood Canada anyway, were now out of the picture, but bad because management in Japan had a steep learning curve ahead of it when it came to fully grasping the subtleties of the Canadian market.
To highlight its presence in Canada and focus the brand, Mitsubishi tweaked and restyled its Galant flagship sedan lineup in this year and replaced the top of the line GTS with the Ralliart. This was the ninth generation of the Galant, and it was a far cry from the two- and four-door compact sedan that hit the North American market back in 1969. There were three trim levels: ES, LS and Ralliart
Competing against the likes of the Nissan Altima, Mazda GT6, Ford Focus, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, this iteration of the Galant also received a performance shot in the arm, with the Ralliart and LS versions utilizing a V-6 powerplant taken directly from the very quick Eclipse GT sport coupe. Displacing 3.8 litres, it developed 258 horsepower in Ralliart trim, and 230 hp with the LS.
It was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with a Sportronic manual shift mode. The Ralliart also received a full suspension overhaul, with stiffer "sport-tuned" components, larger 18-inch wheels and tires and a thicker rear stabilizer bar, among other things.
The other engine choice was a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder World Engine that developed 160 horsepower and was mated to a four-speed automatic. This engine was also used by Hyundai and Chrysler, and both transmissions featured a manual shift mode.
Like many Mitsubishi products, the Galant featured a very accommodating ride and this generation, like the one before it, was a pleasure to drive.
Standard equipment included side-curtain airbags (new for this year), heated mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning and power door locks with keyless entry.
Unique to the Ralliart were creature comforts such as full leather interior, white-faced gauges and aluminum pedals. Depending on the trim level, you could also order a touch-screen navi system, climate control and upgraded stereo. One idiosyncrasy here: the navi system was large as life and twice as ugly, located front and centre on the dash and housed in a rather prominent binnacle.
Just one safety recall to report both from Transport Canada and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but it's a biggie. It actually affects Galants manufactured from 2005 to 2007. Apparently, on some cars, the gas tank straps may have been improperly mounted and could come loose in the event of an accident. This would result in an immediate fuel leak and, possibly, a fire.
No technical service bulletins are on file with NHTSA for the 2007 Galant, but the 2008 version has an advisory regarding engine ignition coils that could overheat and melt, especially if a new battery has been incorrectly installed. Since the differences between the '07 and '08 Galant are slight, this could probably apply to both years.
No info from Consumer Reports to pass along, but some owners' comments include: "Great acceleration. Torque-y engine. Roomy accommodation" and "good exterior styling." Mediocre fuel economy for the V-6 model seems to be a common complaint, as does an inordinately wide turning radius.
As far as market research firm J.D. Power is concerned, the 2007 Galant excels in some areas, but falls short in others. Overall quality and powertrain quality, for example, get top marks, but comfort, style and feature accessories dependability are apparently sub-par. It gets good marks for initial quality, but a below-average overall rating for vehicle dependability.
From a base price of just less than $25,000 for the ES in '07, the Galant has dropped by about 50 per cent. The top-of-the-line Ralliart seems to fetch about $2,000 to $4,000 more than the base ES, and the LS is somewhere in the middle.
globedrive@globeandmail.com
2007 Mitsubishi Galant
Original Base Price: $24,998; Black Book: $12,075-$16,650; Red Book: $10,750-$11,950
Engine: 2.4-litre, four-cylinder/3.8-litre V-6
Horsepower/Torque: 160 hp/157 lb-ft for ES four-cylinder; 230 hp/250 lb-ft for LS V-6; 258 hp/258 lb-ft for Ralliart V-6
Transmission: Four and five-speed automatic
Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 10.4 city/7.5 highway (four-cylinder with four-speed automatic); regular gas
Drive: Front-wheel
Alternatives: Nissan Maxima, Nissan Altima, Mazda6, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu