Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi
Photo: IFCAR / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Mitsubishi Galant: Decades of Midsize Sedan History
The Galant was one of Mitsubishi's longest-running nameplates, spanning rally-bred all-wheel-drive sport sedans to mainstream family transport across nearly four decades.
First appearing in 1969, the Galant evolved through nine generations into one of Mitsubishi's cornerstone models. Early Galants helped establish the brand internationally, and the nameplate later became a workhorse midsize sedan competing against the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Enthusiasts most fondly remember the Galant VR-4 of the late 1980s and early 1990s, a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive performance sedan that served as a technological precursor to the Lancer Evolution. The VR-4 combined a 2.0-liter turbo engine, full-time AWD, and four-wheel steering, and it competed successfully in the World Rally Championship.
Later generations, particularly those sold in North America, shifted toward comfort and value, with V6 options and roomy interiors. Mitsubishi retired the Galant in most markets by the early 2010s as the sedan segment contracted, closing the book on a name that defined much of the brand's identity.