Teresa’s View

Sat., Jan. 27, 2007

Teresa Mccallion Marketing Department Columnist

The last time we saw the Mitsubishi Gallant was after its 2004 redesign. Back then, added length and girth was the big news for the stylish sedan. This year’s makeover polishes the exterior, and particularly interior, improves ride quality, and adds a big splash of performance enhancements for the sporty Ralliart trim.

While the Gallant is a respectable sedan, the Ralliart version is a bleached blond, thong-baring model meant for the tuner crowd. During my week with our Ralliart tester, I took to calling it the Ralli-tart.

To differentiate it from the other trims, the Ralliart features exclusive styling cues such as an aero bumper, sports mesh grille, side air dams and projector-style, four-bulb ellipsoid headlamps. Seven-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels are outfitted with low-profile all-season Goodyear tires.

Mitsu engineers gave the girl a modified version of the Eclipse GT’s 3.8-liter V-6 engine. The company says it’s the most powerful import sports sedan in the U.S. market, delivering 258 horsepower. They also claim the Ralliart will run the 0-to-60 dash in approximately 7 seconds — although the car mags report times closer to 6.5 seconds.

The engine is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic, for clutchless manual driving, but what’s this? There’s no manual transmission option. Call me “old school” but I like a manual in my sports sedan.

Acceleration is strong and satisfying, although around-town tooling is typically hot-rod rough. With higher-rate springs and dampers than the other trims, the Ralliart provides better control during enthusiastic driving, but is stiff and jarring on grocery runs.

Sports performance isn’t the Ralliart’s only claim. It offers a surprising list of comfort features including perforated leather-trimmed and heated seats, auto climate control, a seven-inch touch-screen DVD navigation system, a power glass sunroof, and the first-ever factory-installed Rockford Acoustic Design premium audio system.

An eight-channel amplifier directs individual channels to the eight speakers, including a set of tweeters on the dash. User-selected listening environments, such as normal, studio, club and concert, adjust for the subtle auditory shifts between, oh, say, rap and country. Sound quality from the AM/FM/MP3, satellite radio and six-disc CD changer unit is off the charts. And, yes, there’s enough bass to make the neighbors’ fillings rattle.

So, how much do you think you’d pay for this baby? Wrong. The Ralliart is available for $28K, including destination charges.

What Is It?: The Mitsubishi Gallant is a four-door, five-passenger midsize sedan, value-priced at $20K for the entry-level DE trim. Mid-level ES, luxurious GTS, and performance-enhanced Ralliart trims round out the family.

Gadget Rating: 7.5 out of 10. Groovy blue lighting illuminates the white-faced gauges at night, including a large, easy-to-read tachometer. Most buttons and knobs are large and within easy reach.

Safety: This year, side-curtain airbags have been added to the safety system that also includes side-impact airbags for front-seat occupants.

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