Shopping for a proven and capable luxury sports sedan filled with high-end features and amenities that features handsome styling both inside and out - but don't want to break the bank when it comes time to sign on the dotted line? If so, Mitsubishi has an exceptional 5-passenger 4-door that aptly matches this description - the value-priced, luxury laden 2012 Galant.

Available in two distinct iterations - the affordable, content-rich Galant ES and the high-flying Galant SE with its impressive included amenities package - this Japanese-designed, American-made (every 2012 Galant is produced at the auto manufacturers state-of-the-art manufacturing plant located in Normal, Illinois) luxury sports sedan is one of the most upscale yet bargain-priced vehicles available to savvy, cost-conscious consumers today.

Feature-Packed Gallant ES

With a starting MSRP of only $21,899, the entry-level 2012 Mitsubishi Galant ES is a Japanese luxury sports sedan overflowing with highline features packed into a pleasing one-of-a-kind 4-door styling statement.

Housed within the elegant, sharp-edged body of the Galant ES are a miraculous number of welcome standard luxury appointments - features that often cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars more in pricey options packages on competing mid-size luxury sport sedans within the segment. Among the no-cost items are a keyless entry system, cruise control, auto-off halogen headlamps, auxiliary audio input jack, a vibrant-sounding 6 speaker 140-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system, an eye-catching mesh front grill, air conditioning, 6-way adjustable driver's seat, trunk access pass-through, rear seat area heater ducts, variable speed intermittent windshield wipers and power windows, side mirrors and door locks.

New design features added just last year include a 0.5-inch ride height reduction that not only infuses the Galant with an attitude adjustment in the form of a sleeker-looking stance but also improves the vehicle's aerodynamic efficiency and new chrome beltline molding that gives the exterior an even more polished-looking finish.

Safety items include a 6 air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) safety package consisting of dual-stage front air bags, front seat-mounted side-impact air bags, and side front and rear curtain air bags, and advanced dynamic driving aids including Active Stability Control (ASC), Traction Control Logic (TCL), 4-wheel disc anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that signals the driver that one of the vehicle's tires may be underinflated - helping to address a key factor in decreased fuel efficiency and a potentially hazardous driving situation.

Amenity-Rich Galant SE

While the entry-level Galant ES is a highly impressive vehicle, the 2012 Galant SE takes automotive opulence to a whole new level.

Building upon the entry-level model's remarkably comprehensive standard features foundation, further additions to the 2012 Galant SE include a touch-screen DVD-based navigation system with rear-view backup camera; a sensational 650-watt (max) Rockford Acoustic Design® premium audio system with AM/FM/6 CD/MP3 playback capability, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), 3-month pre-paid subscription to SIRIUS® satellite radio, steering wheel audio controls and 8 speakers; Bluetooth® hands-free phone system; automatic climate control; heated front seats and side mirrors; 8-way power driver's seat; power sunroof; attractive 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels and fog lamps.

Sublime, Fuel-Efficient Power

Every 2012 Mitsubishi Galant is powered by a sublime 2.4-liter 16-valve SOHC 4-cylinder engine that makes use of the Japanese auto manufacturer's advanced Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) variable valve-timing system that helps boost power output while concurrently reducing harmful exhaust emissions. Power production is rated at 160 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a stout 157 lb.-ft. of torque developed at lower 4,000 rpm.

An important design element engineered into this hearty engine is its ability to run exceptionally smoothly on less expensive regular-grade unleaded fuel, saving its owner money every time they stop to fill up. The Galant achieves an impressive fuel consumption figure of 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway.

Another fixture of the highly efficient yet eager Galant powertrain is a smooth-shifting 4-speed Sportronic® automatic transmission that allows the enthusiast driver to quickly toggle up and down through the gears if they so choose.

Well-Crafted Chassis

Greatly aiding the causes of both supple road manner and precise road handling through the turns, the Mitsubishi Galant features a technologically-advanced suspension design that soaks up road imperfections just as acutely as it instills driver confidence in its responsive handling capabilities. A MacPherson strut configuration with coil springs neatly packaged into a sub-frame that helps to isolate noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) can be found at the front of the vehicle while an able low-mount multi-link setup - a shared design with the sporty Mitsubishi Eclipse coupe - resides in the rear.

The structurally-fortified steel chassis provides a strong, rigid platform that offers its occupants a smooth and composed ride in a quiet cabin that keeps the intrusion of annoying engine and road noise to a minimum - just as one would expect from a high-quality luxury vehicle. What's more, the Galant features a spacious 101 cubic feet of interior passenger volume to its airy cabin - plenty of elbow room for up to 5 passengers.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Galant features the company's patented Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body construction that helps to reduce injury potential to the vehicle's inhabitants in the event of a collision by absorbing and/or dissipating the crash energy and keeping it away from the passenger compartment.

Aesthetically appealing interior and exterior

The 2012 Mitsubishi Galant's design, both inside and out, are unquestionably distinctive and certainly allow this handsome and affordably-priced Japanese luxury sports sedan to stand out in a crowded mid-size 4-door segment.

Inside, the eye is immediately attracted to the stylish instrument panel and the unique center console that features a large 7-inch touch-screen display monitor for the DVD-based navigation system and the convenient backup camera system (SE trim-level vehicles) located at the top of the dashboard. Rich interior details include subtle silver-colored trim accents across the top of the dashboard and rimming the gauge faces in the instrument cluster. Along with the wonderful texture of the exquisite fabric of the seating surfaces (a supple high-quality leather is also available on the Galant SE) and the very comfortable seating both front and rear, the Galant is always an ergonomic delight for driver and passengers be it a short jaunt or a cross-country excursion.

With its tall, chiseled beltline and sweeping, gently arching roofline, the 2012 Galant possesses an exterior shape, along with its eye-catching "cat's eye" angular taillight design, racy mesh grille and unique squared-off headlight design make the 2012 Mitsubishi Galant an uncommon ride in an otherwise humdrum vehicle segment.

Accomplished Vehicle, Uncompromising Warranty

Every 2012 Mitsubishi Galant mobile includes a comprehensive warranty plan featuring a 5-year/60,000 mile fully transferable bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 10-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, a 7-year/100,000 mile anti-corrosion/perforation warranty and a 5-year/unlimited mile roadside assistance program.