2004 Mitsubishi Galant Review
Add your own review or comments

By Tom Lankard and Mitch McCullough

Overview

The all-new 2004 Mitsubishi Galant is a mainstream mid-size sedan that's a viable alternative to the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and other cars in this highly competitive class. That's news because Mitsubishi has previously played around the edges of the mainstream market in the U.S.

There's much to like about the new Galant. It's bigger, better and only slightly more expensive than last year's model. It's enjoyable to drive and offers all the benefits of the other cars in this class.

Model Lineup

Mitsubishi Galant comes in four models. DE ($17,997) and ES ($18,997) are powered by a 160-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and come with a four-speed automatic transmission.

LS ($20,997) and GTS ($25,697) get a 230-horsepower 3.8-liter V6. They also come with four-speed automatics, but allow the driver to select a Sportronic model for semi-manual shifting.

Standard on all models: air conditioning; power windows, door locks and exterior mirrors; AM/FM/CD stereo; four-wheel disc brakes; carpeted floor mats; and electronic lock-out protection. DE, ES and LS come with steel wheels and 215/60R16 all-season tires.

ES and LS get upgraded, premium cloth-trimmed seating surfaces plus cruise control, titanium interior trim, upgraded audio, a driver's seat-back pocket and color-keyed exterior mirror housings. The LS also gets ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, larger front disc brakes and an audio information display.

The GTS adds front side-impact airbags; automatic climate control; choice of birdseye or metallic mesh interior trim accents; a titanium-finished center panel; leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls; eight-way power-adjustable driver seat; 270-watt stereo with six-disc CD changer and eight speakers; color dot-matrix audio display with outside temperature, calendar and compass; white-on-black gauges; color-keyed rear spoiler; special tail lamps; sporty muffler; a panic alarm button on the keyless remote; 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels with lower profile tires; and a front suspension strut tower brace.

ABS with EBD is available on the ES as a stand-alone option. ES and LS offer optional front side-impact airbags; 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; the premium stereo; leather-trimmed seats; a power driver's seat; leather-wrapped steering wheel; heated exterior mirrors; and a power sunroof. The only option on the GTS is the Cold Zone package, containing heated front seats and exterior mirrors.