New Car Review of the 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante Mid-Size Sedan.

Description: Mid-Size Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $24,999 - $27,619
Invoice Price Range: $23,191 - $25,622

The flagship sedan from Mitsubishi projects sophisticated exterior lines in a mid-size package with five seats in the cabin.

Issues for 2004 reflect styling revisions with new front fascia and hood plus new designs for 16-inch wheels.

In the cabin there's a new instrument panel and a center console added between two front bucket seats. Base Diamante ES and plush LS editions are joined by a bold VR-X. It wears aggressive side skirt air dams and wheel lip moldings, with chrome tips evident on exhaust pipes. Optional for VR-X is a premium Leather Package and Sport Package with Infinity audio system and tail spoiler.

Under the hood, VR-X earns five more power points in the 3.5-liter V6 for a total of 210 hp. Diamante ES has seats covered in new fabrics this year, while LS provides deluxe features like leather seats plus heat elements in front seats and side mirrors. It also gets a Sportronic transmission, as does the VR-X. With Sportronic manual mode, the shifter lever slides laterally into a side gate, where to-or-fro action bumps up or down the gear ladder one notch at a time.