We could name a number of midsize, import-badge sedans that ride comfortably and quietly, handle responsively, and offer an optional V6 that provides ample power for passing. All feature roomy, nicely appointed cabin space, and all represent good value in the family-car market.

Mitsubishi Galant does all that, but offers sharp styling, the kind that turns heads in traffic. Not everyone will like what they see, but none of them will accuse the Galant of being a wallflower.

The current-generation Galant was launched as an all-new model for 2004, and Mitsubishi has improved and refined it every year since then.

New for 2007: The 2007 Mitsubishi Galant brings a freshened look outside, improved materials inside, and revised suspension settings designed to provide greater comfort and a more engaging driving experience. The 2007 Galant GTS gets a new five-speed automatic transmission.

Also new for 2007 is a high-performance model called the Ralliart, with more horsepower, tighter handling, and sporty styling. Ralliart is Mitsubishi's motorsports arm and has been a dominant force in the World Rally Championship, which includes the Monte Carlo and other famous events, and cross country endurance raids, such as the Paris-Dakar Rally. Mitsubishi hopes the Galant Ralliart will challenge the Acura TSX and TL, as well as the MazdaSpeed6.

The Galant Ralliart seems a long way from the Galant VR4 rally cars so successful in the early 1990s, but so what? The more we drove the 2007 Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart, the more we liked it. It struck us as a comfortable, big midsize sedan with some sports appeal. It isn't as agile as a MazdaSpeed6, but it's roomier and more comfortable. It certainly isn't as upscale or refined as an Acura, but it costs less. It's an easy car to live with that does not give up comfort or convenience for its added performance. At times, it reminded us of a Chevy Monte Carlo (yes, we know it's a two-door) and it seems nicer than a Pontiac G6. In any case, the Galant Ralliart was an enjoyable car that never annoyed us. And we're easily annoyed.

Galant has achieved across-the-board five-star ratings in the federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offset-frontal and side-impact crash tests. The insurance industry's Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded Galant its highest ranking ("Good overall") in its frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests.