Background: Built two-and-a-half hours away from suburban Chicago at Mitsubishi's central Illinois assembly plant in Normal, the totally redesigned, 1999 four-door Galant sedan comes bearing several trim levels and price ranges. Competition is Fierce in the high-volume, mid-size sedan arena including such rivals as Ford's Taurus, the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda's Accord, Mazda's 626 and the Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in the United States in 1998. But Mitsubishi is up to the task. The all-new 1999 version represents Galant's fourth generation with a more sporty exterior than its three primary Japanese rivals. The 1999 Illinois-built Galant hit showrooms in July, but made its splashy world debut about this time last February at the 1998 Chicago Auto Show. Galant represents Mitsubishi's volume-leading vehicle sold in the United States. Other sedans Mitsubishi markets include the compact Mirage and luxurious Diamante.
New for 1999: The biggest news is a bigger engine. For the first time, Galant offers a six-cylinder engine. All Galants beforehand were solely four bangers. A new, top-of-the-line GTZ image-building edition also debuts. All editions increase length, width and height ever so slightly while shedding about 100 pounds.
Trim levels: In addition to the new well-appointed GTZ, Galant returns three trim levels from last year: entry-level DE, volume-leading, mid-range ES and luxury-filled LS.
Safety features: Dual front airbags, side-impact door beams, front/rear crumple zones and child protection rear door locks come standard. Anti-lock brakes, standard in all V-6 models, is optional in four-cylinder ES, but not offered in entry-level DE. Galant is Mitsubishi's first model sold in the United States offering front-seat mounted side air protection; a feature standard in LS and GTZ, but optional in DE and ES. Remote keyless entry is standard everywhere except the entry-level DE.
Engine: Galant now packs more power. Mitsubishi refined four-cylinder engines while offering a V-6 powertrain for the first time. The four-cylinder engine now produces 145 horsepower, four more than last year. Low-end torque now registers 155, up seven for quicker starts from stand stills. The 2.4-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine comes standard in DE and ES. The all-new, 3.0-litter, 24-valve V-6, standard in LS, GTZ and optional in ES, produces 195 horsepower. Performance of both engines improves because a new induction system drawing air from above the radiator, rather than from inside the hot engine compartment. Cool air mixes easier with burning fuel. Interestingly, these two engines are not available in Galant models sold outside of the United States.
Standard equipment: All Galants include air conditioning, power windows and power locks standard. Also included are rear window defoggers; tilt steering column; rack and pinion steering; intermittent wipers and side window defoggers.
Options: Five-speed manual transmission comes standard in ES while four-speed automatic transmission is found everywhere except ES where it's an option. Cruise control, power side view mirrors and spit folding rear seats are standard every except entry-level DE, where they're not offered. Power glass sunroofs are standard in GTZ and LS, optional in ES but not available in DE. Compact discs are optional faire everywhere.
Price: Mitsubishi provided the Daily Herald with two Eclipse models: a top-level GTZ and well-equipped ES; both with six-cylinder engines. The well-equipped GTZ's $24,350 manufacturer's suggested retail price added up to $25,492 with the extra $674 trunk-mounted compact disc player. The ES, with CD player, sunroof and side-impact air bags was a few bucks cheaper at $22,932. Both prices include a $435 destination charge. The lowest priced DE sedan checks in at $16,990.
Interior: Wood grain nuances on doors and the dashboard adorn all models except DE. Three easy-to-grab dials control fan speed, temperature setting and direction while situated below the stereo system, incorporating rather small radio pre-set and circular volume buttons. The radio frequency display incorporates a digital clock as well. Between front bucket seats one finds the hand-operated parking brake, dual in-line, permanently molded cup holders and a storage bin. The bin's flip-top folds back 180 degrees into the back seat area, where its underside serves as a cup holder. A floor-mounted trunk release lever is left of the driver's seat. Headlights operate from the turn signal stalk while windshield wipers monitor from a right-hand steering column stalk near the illuminated ignition cylinder. Optional cruise control is also found on the steering column's right side on a small, square stub. Easy-to-operate power window buttons, mounted at a 45-degree angle on front doors, add an elegant touch. Three circular analog gauges (speedometer, tachometer and fuel/temperature) occupy the instrument panel. Only the rectangular odometer reads digitally. In GTZ, white daytime circular gauges backlight to black at night. Galants with single-feed compact disc players utilize a separate in-dash unit under climate controls, separate from the radio/stereo system. This deep, rectangular area becomes extra dashboard storage room in editions without these units or with trunk-located, 10-disc holders.
Seating comfort: Entry DE editions feature cloth seating while ES utilizes "deluxe cloth" nuances. Both manually adjust. Galant LS and GTZ trim levels feature leather trimmed, eight-way power seats. In back, both leg room and headroom are tight. Two averaged side adults fit most comfortably in back. Three put on the squeeze play. Plenty of large windows eliminate blind spots and even the GTZ's rear spoiler was thin enough not to be bothersome in rearview mirror perception. Lightweight doors don't swing out far enough in back for comfortable entrances and exits. Too much bending and twisting goes into the motion.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 103.7 inches Overall length 187.8 inches Overall width: 68.5 inches Overall height: 55.7 inches Curb weight: 3,140 pounds
Exterior: Long, rectangular headlights join Mitsubishi's three diamond logo and vertical grille bars in front. Stationary side-view mirrors are not of the breakaway variety that fold in when in contact with larger objects. All four doors have flush-mounted, body-color door handles. The square, non-locking fuel door, found on the back right quarter panel includes a tethered cap. The radio antenna, built into the rear window, is featured in all Galant editions except entry-level DE. Aluminum alloy wheels, standard in LS and GTZ are optional in ES. Otherwise, steel wheel covers adorn hubs. Good size sixteen-inch tires, not commonplace in the mid-size segment, come standard in LS, GTZ and V-6 ES; a nice road-gripping touch. Fifteen-inch varieties adorn DE and four-cylinder ES.
Gas mileage: Both four and six cylinder engines register very similar mileage figures when coupled with automatic transmission. Our six-cylinder test drive Galants averaged 20 miles-per-gallon in city driving and 27 m.p.g. on the highway; decent numbers while the four-cylinder checks in at 21 m.p.g. city and 28 highway. The fuel tank holds 16.3 gallons of 87-octane, regular unleaded gas.
Trunk: At 14 cubic feet of room, Galant's trunk now measures up to Accord and Camry, both with 14.1 cubic feet of room. Chevrolet's Malibu, at 16.4 cubic feet, remains one of the most cavernous. The temporary spare fits below the flat floor. The lid's smart, low-liftover design now makes hauling groceries in and out a bit easier.
Final thoughts: Mitsubishi already concedes most Galant sales will occur at the lower $17,000 to $21,000 end, where it establishes a slight price advantage over comparably-equipped competitors. At $25,000, the top-of-the-line GTZ is not generating volume sales anytime soon. The GTZ edition includes a standard spoiler, which looked a bit out of place. Very few spoilers look "cool" on four-door sedans. Even though Mitsubishi promotes this mid-size sedan as a five-seater, both leg and knee room get compromised in back. Three people in back would truly be a crowd. Galant handles and corners well and its more daring, sportier-looking exterior set it apart from more conservative Camry, Accord 626 and Malibu opponents. |