R O A D    T E S T

Having owned a 1991 Galant GTi-16V, its hard not to compare how the Galant has evolved since then.  I've always loved my GTi because of two reasons: handling and punch.  Allow me to explain further, the GTi had a stiffened suspension system and 195/60 R15 as standard (the first car to offer a mag size bigger than 14 inches as standard).  This meant that the car steered well into the corners with confidence and security while giving the car a firm, but gentle ride (it has a better ride quality than a Corolla).  The punch really stands for the GTi's 145-bhp 2.0 DOHC 16-valve inline-4 engine complimented with standard Ralliart exhaust systems, my old car can accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds, a respectable time until now.

So having loved my GTi so much, how can I compare this to the new Galant VR that Mitsubishi has been babbling about as the 'ultimate driving pleasure'?  It's a simple answer, really.  On some areas, the new Galant VR is far better than my GTi, but on some, surprisingly the GTi still fares better.  Now, let's get to the oil bits...

The new VR's heart and muscle comes from a 2.5 SOHC 24-valve V6.  This is of course, a rather crude way to increase torque.  The increase in displacement has increased the VR's torque to 228 Nm from 210 Nm of the previous 2.0 DOHC 24-valve V6.  However, the resulting engine has fewer horsepower: 163-bhp compared to 165-bhp, and a less-refined feel.  The new VR's idling indicates a creamy smoothness that I can liken to the Nissan Cefiro.  However, unlike Nissan's luxury vehicle, the Galant VR doesn't feel smooth throughout its power bandwidth.  The reason could be because the 'new' 2.5 V6 is actually just a carry over engine from a previous model, and couldn't quite compete with the newer V6 engines it challenges.  On the bright side, the VR offers tons of torque that neither the Cefiro nor the Accord could match.  This of course certainly helps when dueling near the stoplight.

Ironically, the 2.5-liter V6 could be exploited fully with the use of a proper 5-speed manual transmission, but it seems that Mitsubishi contented themselves with releasing a 4-speed INVECS II (driver adaptive) transmission for their top of the line flagship.  Though the fuzzy logic promise of the automatic transmission sounds good on paper, it couldn't seem to find the proper 'logic' when dealing with me when I drive.  On one part the car shifts immediately when I want it to maintain.  Sometimes it's the other way around.  It's a shame, since this brutish engine is wasted with a rather spongy transmission.

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