ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS WEBSITE SHOULD KNOW BY NOW, that currently have a 1991 Mitsubishi Galant GTi. Although I use a different car as a daily driver, somehow I keep going back to this car during weekends. Being so emotionally attached to the Galant, I’ve kept a particularly close attention to its slow development (or rather, regression) from a simple light-weight sports sedan to a hefty and crude luxo-barge. The final nail to its coffin being the rather forgetfully done Adventure-engined GT-A model. Long-time fans soon thought that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines was abandoning the Galant altogether, probably wanting to concentrate on selling Lancers and Adventures instread.
All these notions were erased with the recent addition of the all-new, all-tech Galant 240M into the Philippine line-up. This new Galant has a huge mountain to climb given that the GT-A, on its final year, failed to sell more than 20 units in the ENTIRE year. An added difficulty was the lack of awareness of the Galant badge among the younger set as well as the promulgation of more choices such as the Hyundai Sonata and Mazda6 2.3L, which were dynamic cars themselves.
This challenged posed a difficult question on how to style and engineer the new Galant. Long time fans such as myself, would want something in a BMW 3 Series mold; the rest of the populace would want something closer to the Toyota Camry. The resulting product is the largest Galant ever measuring in at a 4885 mm. The stretch in proportion made way for the largest cabin in its class (1997 mm) and sitting in the 240M (whether front or back) for the first time reiterates that fact. People familiar with full-sized American cars such as Lincolns and Cadillacs will find themselves at home in the massive interior of the new Galant. There’s generous room anywhere with high-quality tactile switches scattered about. The cabin’s a bit gloomy given the black plastic on black leather scheme (even the wood is finished with a dark accent), but it also lends the Galant a very Germanic feel. Personally, I find it a break from the usual tan/beige combination interiors which, quite frankly, will be a pain to clean in the long haul.
One Galant strength that’s still very much alive in the 240M is the excellent control ergonomics. The switches, gear selector and hand brake all fall where they’re needed while the 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat allows for even the smallest adjustments. The Optitron gauges, which are illuminated with a shocking blue hue are easy to read. The only apparent weakness of the new Galant is its center console, which although pretty to look at, is very busy and subsequently hard to master. The small buttons for both the A/C and audio system have been jammed close to one another so mis-pressed buttons will surely be a part of Galant ownership. Another thing that I personally don’t like with the new Galant’s interior is the large dot-matrix display for the audio system and clock. Like the gauges, it glows in shocking blue when moving and thus, looks China cheap. Perhaps a more discreet display or an active LCD display would have been more appropriate for such an expensive car.
On the road, 240M exhibits very un-Galant like qualities of comfort and refinement. Again, if you’re looking to relive the days of the GTi or even the first-generation VR, then you won’t find it with the 240M. In terms of NVH isolation and quietness, it seems to be at par with the Camry (much better than the Accord). The 2.4-liter inline-4 (shared with the Grandis) is muted but lets out an interesting growl when the revs climb up. The 240M doesn’t have a large displacement V6 like its rivals, but it actually pushes the hefty steel body adequately, just don’t expect a rocket or Shinkanzen experience. The 2.4-liter engine is mated to a 4-speed ECT transmission with a manual override. Again, although it lacks a gear against its immediate rivals, the gearing is well suited to the Galant’s engine characteristics and 100 km/h comes in no time. When slotted into the manual override feature, the shifts come transparently and quick. Perhaps the only problem is the almost microscopic gear indicator preventing a more spirited drive.
The large body and added weight results in the Galant’s lack of on-the-road sportiness. Don’t get me wrong, the all-around independent suspension and electric power steering do help, but the deep dash and long hood hampers visibility. It behaves reasonably well through the slalom, again with the expected amounts of understeer and body roll present. It’s a good thing that the 240M retains excellent seats with great side and bum support. The rear seats are a joy too with its long seat cushion and padded bolstering.
At the end of the quick drive, I can’t help but think that the all-new Mitsubishi Galant 240M is one great car. It’s good value too with absolutely everything thrown in as standard equipment. However, I still have to get over the fact that the Galant of yesteryear are now gone. The new Galant isn’t as perky or as interesting to drive as the ones before it. I fear that this one’s getting too big for my tastes (perhaps a longer drive would change my mind). Still, if you’re in the market for an interesting alternative to the over so default Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, then the all-new Galant 240M is worth a look.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang
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