Mitsubishi Galant History
Mitsubishi's mid-size sedan for the US — a steady if unremarkable contender across nine generations, including the VR-4 AWD variant in the early 1990s.
Photo: “MITSUBISHI GALANT NINTH GENERATION (CHINA).jpg” by Dinkun Chen / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
The Galant arrived in the US under its own badge for the 1988 model year (earlier Chrysler-era derivatives were sold as Dodge and Plymouth products), offering front-wheel-drive sedans from 1.8 to 2.0 liters. A turbocharged AWD Galant VR-4 was named Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1989.
The ninth and final US generation debuted for the 2004 model year — a larger, sedan-only car that soldiered on with only modest updates until the model was discontinued after 2012. By its final years the Galant lagged significantly behind the Accord and Camry in sales as Mitsubishi's focus shifted to SUVs.
Generations
Sixth generation (US) · E30
US debut generation including the award-winning turbocharged AWD Galant VR-4 (1989).
1991 Photo: “1991 Mitsubishi Galant 1800 Limited Edition Sport (Denmark).jpg” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Ninth generation · DJ
Photo: “MITSUBISHI GALANT NINTH GENERATION (CHINA).jpg” by Dinkun Chen / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Final, larger US Galant — introduced at the 2003 New York Auto Show for the 2004 model year; discontinued 2012.
2012 Photo: “2012 Mitsubishi Galant ES in Quick Silver Pearl, front left, 06-13-2026.jpg” by Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Sedan
Notable special editions & performance variants
Galant VR-4
All-wheel-drive, turbocharged sport sedan sold in the US only for 1991 and 1992 as a limited edition (2,000 units for 1991, 1,000 for 1992); the Galant range earned Motor Trend Import Car of the Year for 1989, and the VR-4 was a direct ancestor of the Lancer Evolution concept.
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Mitsubishi Galant
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.