Test drive Mitsubishi Galant 1997 - 2004 sedan

Gallant conversation

Harmony and grace of design. The quality and gentle care of a person embodied in the smallest details. Economy. All this makes the owners of Japanese cars truly happy people. It makes no sense to talk about reliability, strength, durability and safety: checking the level of oil and tire pressure - that’s perhaps everything that is required.
There are many worthy cars in the world, but Japanese are special.
Galant dynasty
I think I saw you somewhere. But you are so prettier and changed so where did we meet? In the car dealership? - No, no, I'm for the first time in Moscow. - Do you have close relatives in Europe, in Germany, for example? - by no means, my homeland is Japan ... - And how similar they are!
Such or almost such a dialogue could occur between a person and Mitsubishi Galant 2.5, be the latter endowed with a gift of speech. But cars are not able to speak human language. They have their own, not affordable language. We dare to attribute ourselves to the few who understands it, and try to convey to you what the guest from the country of the rising sun told you.
In Russia, the new Galant debuted at the summer Moscow car dealership. The latter, by the way, became the anniversary for its manufacturers - 80 years ago, in 1917, when we did in our country you know what, Mitsubishi produced the first Japanese car industrialized. As for our gallant interlocutor, he leads his pedigree from the COLT GALANT model, which saw the light of almost thirty years ago. Actually, Galant is already experiencing the ninth birth.
For many years, the dynasty faithfully served people. The middle class, support and hope of any civilized society, understood and accepted Mitsubishi in many countries. However, time inexorably dictates its laws. The need for serious changes has risen - and they occurred. At first glance, something in the guise of an updated Galant resembles both BMW and the new VW Passat and someone else from Europe, but this was our friend to the account of modern technologies in the development and production of cars and fashion that inevitably give rise to certain unification elements.
The main thing is different. The traditional and slightly boring sedan turned into an original and stylish car. The contours of the body became smoother, the nose of the car with a bumper and a decorative grill, as it were, sniffs to the road. Thanks to the new, slightly swollen shape of the wheels, as well as the size and placement of optics, it seems that the machine smiles at you with a traditionally binding Japanese smile. The respectful son of the country of the rising sun expresses immense respect and willingness to immediately fulfill all your desires. He is dressed in a European suit, but his manners are the most oriental.
All in the name of man
Traditional Japanese hospitality applies to everyone who was inside the machine. And even if more broad rights are granted to those who are driving, but from the point of view of comfort and security, everything is on equal terms.
The genuine leather of pastel colors and the finish of the central console under the tree create a feeling of comfort and luxury. But luxury - in moderation: exactly as much as you need for a mass car class car. The governing bodies are concise and concrete as the speech of a business person. Everything is organized so that the machine control does not cause the slightest voltage. And after a henchouse business, you can relax in the back seat, deep and comfortable, with a high back, leaving someone else to enjoy driving. The built -in musical system from Kenwood will help this. The rear seats are easily transformed into an additional luggage compartment. The parts of the back folded together or separately open a fairly wide opening in the trunk, ready to take in a whole bunch of accessories for tennis, golf, Sergo and underwater swimming.
The security system in the New Galant suggests that the designers proceeded from the intention to maximize the possibility of accounting for life accounts. Safety pillows for the driver and the front passenger are double: in addition to the front, the standard equipment includes lateral ones - they are installed not at the door, as is done on many other models, but in the ends of the front seats.
Power and grace
Pretty preface, let's go! And immediately Galant enters with us in the eastern martial arts: behaves very sporty. In this quality, it does not look like a sedate-salt sedan of the middle class. Under the hood-a V-shaped 24-valve six with a volume of 2.5 liters and a capacity of 163 horses! All feelings from driving fit into one simple word - pleasure. What is in the urban mode, what's on the highway. A clear and easy inclusion of transmissions, excellently selected gear ratio of transmission, along with a powerful elastic motor, allow you to slowly, without unnecessary switching and clutch clutch, drag in a sluggish traffic jam in second or third gear, almost like an automatic gearbox. Maneuverability and a small radius of turning make it possible to literally squeeze into a car crowd, easily park and unfold on the narrow streets of old Moscow. There is nothing to say about the highway. The machine quickly and energetically gains speed, it goes smoothly and confidently.
The front -wheel drive, combined with a unique independent multi -link suspension on all wheels, creates a wonderful effect: the maximum area of \u200b\u200bgrip of the wheels with the road is achieved, it is extremely difficult to disrupt the car into the skip. She holds on all four and each separately, tenaciously, like a beast from a cat's family. Self-leveling (Self-leveling) rear shock absorbers that automatically support the body in a horizontal position, eliminating sagging depending on the loading, also help this.
You can’t hear the engine in the cabin, absolutely no vibrations, and when you stand at a traffic light, the hand reaches out to turn the key to run the stalled motor. Whispers, well, just whispers! However, all this is in the best Japanese automotive vehicles. It is still necessary to note one of its specific features - with a sharp press on the gas pedal in the second or third transmission, during the revolutions between 1500 and 2000, the motor reacts somehow sluggishly, sleepily. It wakes up after 2000. Such behavior is characteristic of many high -speed engines, and Galant is no exception.
The steering wheel is very convenient and informative. I would like to call him sports: the lightest movement, and not even hands, but fingers, and the machine obediently changes the trajectory. Easy and at ease. There was also the feeling that the hydraulic wrap is equipped with a system that automatically regulates the force on the steering wheel, since at high speed there was no feeling of weakening communication with the road, as is often the case in cars with a hydraulic power steering.
And on the rising sun there are spots
Everything went somehow suspiciously smooth. Natural pessimism nevertheless does not allow you to calm down. Surely the gallant interlocutor concealed something from us. We searched for a long time and found electric windows. From pressing the button, they work so that the glass without stopping leaves to the extreme upper or lower position. As a result, attempts to slightly open the side glass turn into an extremely unpleasant occupation, especially when moving. At the same time, they received a remark that slightly ajar glass is not provided, since the car is equipped with a climate installation operating in automatic mode. And why do you need this click? It was also found that a very gentle rear window somewhat complicates the maneuvers in reces when parking in the city. But then Galant advised to pay attention to the side mirrors, which more than compensate for this drawback.
And further. Unfortunately, Mitsubishi does not plan supplies to Europe and, accordingly, to Russia, an all -wheel drive version. On a snow-gryazer porridge, this would be preferable.
One way or another, the conversation came out very pleasant and useful. Our acquaintance was elegant and modern. It successfully combines the appearance and business qualities of a business class car, the functionality of the family crew, the energy and dullness of the sports car. It seems to personify the representative of the modern middle class: an intelligent, elegant, business, leading active lifestyle, valuable public opinion and scrupulously related to traditions.
This is how its owner is seen.
 
Unlike other new models, rudely and aggressively conquering customers, the new Galant immediately after birth fully showed a property concluded in his name, without a struggle, giving a part of the customers to his younger sister on the lineup. To do this, he began to be sold in Russia with only one option of the motor, and the coolest - 6 -cylinder. It was not the love of local residents for sophisticated and expensive cars. Everything is much thinner and noble. With a 2-liter Galant engine, it comes too close to that sector that occupies a smaller carism. And he could prevent her, new and weak. However, this applies only to Russia with its relatively small sales volume (in two Moscow official dealers of the company it is measured by dozens per month). In Europe, Galant is also available from the very beginning in a 4-cylinder version.
So far, Russian buyers and gallants with the famous direct injection of Mitsubishi will not receive. This motor caused a whole scandal. Before the Japanese had time to start selling such machines in Europe as competitors were worried: how can it be, a gentle motor cannot withstand European gasoline, it has sulfur five times more than in Japanese. Down with direct injection, Down with an upstate! The Japanese, however, finalized the engine for local conditions a little and with honor came out of a difficult situation. But in Russia, they are not in a hurry to offer a version with direct injection. You never know what can be found in our gasoline. The emergence of a miracle of Japanese technology (when is unknown) will be preceded by numerous trials.
And one more restriction for our customers. In the coming year, only Galant-Sedan shines. Mitsubishi seeks not to leave a doubt that the new car refers specifically to the business class. Therefore, it sells only sedans and only with the longest list of compulsory equipment, which includes two airbags, ABS, heating seats and other bells flashes. The station wagons and not so luxuriously equipped so far hold. However, if someone needs it, the gray dealers have enough this good.
In general, judging by the world press, everyone likes the car. Of course, it is too early to talk about specific consumer opinions - what will you understand there in a month. In any case, Russian sellers are provided in full by orders. Those who want to buy a new galant, they assure the diamond in the car dealership, have to wait several months while the car is brought from Japan. Sellers are now working only for a particular customer, there are no cars in the free sale of cars. The Rolf company will appear, not earlier than February.
The autopilot thanks Rolf-Holding CJSC (095) 401-3801, 401-2333 for the Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 V6-24 car provided for the test.
Model/Modification Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 V6-24
Mitsubishi Motors manufacturer
The country-producing Japan
BODY
Type sedan
Number of doors/places 4/5
ENGINE
Basin type with multi -point electronic injection
The location in front is transversely
Working volume (cubic meter) 2.498
Number/location of cylinders 6/V-shaped
Cylinder diameter x Piston stroke (mm) 81.0 x 80.8
Compression degree 9.5: 1
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 120 (163) at 5750
Moment, NM at about./Min. 2223 at 4500
Valve number/cylinder 4
TRANSMISSION
Type is a mechanical five -speed
Front -wheel drive
Antipobuxury system
SUSPENSION
Front Independent Multi-Link Multi-Link C to the reptile stability stabilizer
The back is the same
STEERING
Type gear rack with a hydraulic booster
Brakes
Front disk, ventilated
The rear disc
ABS standard equipment
Wheels
Tire size 195/60 r15
Alloy wheels, 15x6.0jj
Dimensions/about EME/Weight
Length/width/height (mm) 4630/1740/1415
Wheel base (mm) 2635
The track front/track of the rear (mm) 1510/1505
Clearance (mm) 150
Minimum turning radius (m) 5.4
The volume of the fuel tank (L) 64
Dry/complete mass (kg) 1290/1880
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 225
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 8.2
Economy
Fuel consumption, l/100km 6.7/13 (depending on the traffic mode)
The price of the weated in Moscow (Rolf-Holding company) $ 36,446

And what else
In the range of cars from Mitsubishi Motors offered for Europe and Russia, Galant is an indisputable leader. Moreover, the manufacturer made sure to adapt this model to Russian conditions. The new Galant for Russia has an enlarged clearance, climate control with dust filter, fog lights, immobilizers, the key to which is mounted in the ignition key, as well as a branded gasket. The new gallant in our market has chances, although the competition will be tough. The sector of the middle class sedan or, as they sometimes call it part where we would take Galant, the middle business class, is not just large - it is huge. And many of his representatives have already taken root well in Russia.
Among them, first of all, the new Volkswagen Passat 2.3/2.8. Also, in the same race to the Russian market with the new gallant, his compatriot Nissan Maxima QX acts. From the West, the Peugeot 406 with an almost three -liter engine is actively moving. In principle, their weight categories are approximately equal, as approximately equal and the price, which varies depending on the configuration.
Andrey Timofeev,
Stepan Rybakov (photo)
 

A source: "Autopilot"