The guest author of this article is a customer of West Mitsubishi who enjoys exploring nature in the 2019 Outlander Sport he purchased new from us… his second new 2019 Outlander Sport. This one is an SE 4-Wheel-Drive model.
Map of My Route
In April of 2019, I purchased a brand new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE. While I absolutely loved it, my red SE was only a front wheel drive. I love to explore, and the 2wd was decent at doing so, but there were times when a 4-wheel-drive would have been nice. Earlier this month, I traded it in on another brand new 2019 Outlander Sport, but this time I chose the SE package as well as 4WD. I’m loving it even more than my previous vehicle.
To Covelo, Along Forest Route M-4
I decided to take the Outlander Sport on a trip between Orland, California, and Covelo, California, along Forest Route M-4. Parts of this route are paved, and parts were not. There were areas that were only one lane. While a skilled driver in a front will drive vehicle could make the trip, 4 wheel drive is recommended in some areas, and it definitely made me feel better having it. Some parts were a little hairy.
I put a GoPro Max 360° camera on the roof in order to record the trip. It would be nice if there was somewhere to upload 360° video where it could be played on any browser, rather than taking the footage and editing it to be non-3D. If anyone has any suggestions on how to do this, please let me know.
If you watch the video you’ll notice that I took a few wrong turns when I was within a mile or two of Covelo. After emerging from my drive along Forest Route M4, I didn’t see road signs that would indicate the direction I needed to turn, so I guessed, incorrectly. Once I reached Covelo, I was ready to get out and stretch my legs. The Hidden Oaks Casino in Covelo sounded like the right choice, and just across the parking lot was a fuel station and convenience store. Covelo is a quaint little town.
From Covelo to Willits Along 162 and 101
From Covelo, I continued on to the 101 by taking Highway 162. THAT was a gorgeous section of road. I would like to go back and take it slower, stopping along the way to get out the drone and shoot some HD video. It’s definitely an area worth seeing. I headed south on 101 until I reached Willits, where I stopped for lunch and to wash my car. The dust of Forest Route M-4 was too much for the automated carwash to handle, even though I’d purchased the highest-priced wash available. But it definitely looked quite a bit cleaner than it had before.
Willits to Lakeport Through Kelseyville to Soda Bay
From Willits, I continued on to Lakeport, where I once again got out to stretch my legs a bit. If you’ve been in the area, it’s definitely beautiful in some places, and run down in others. The photos of my Outlander Sport in Soda Bay, for instance, look beautiful. But there are many run down buildings and trailer parks not far out of the shot. And the smell of the water was a bit musky. Still, I’d love to have spent more time looking around. But with my lady waiting at home, I wanted to get back on the road and head North.
In Williams, California, just outside of town to the North, you’ll find Orv’s Farm Market. I highly recommend making a stop there. Gasoline is available nearby, but the Market itself is a gem. Take the time to stop and grab a bite or a beer.
I found the Outlander Sport SE 4WD to be a very capable vehicle in which to take this journey. I loved having SiriusXM Radio available (when I wasn’t riding in silence, enjoying nature without extra noise). This small SUV comes comfortably equipped with heated seats, reverse camera, upgraded sound system, push-to-start, and much more. It’s a vehicle I want to keep around for awhile. And, surprisingly, Mitsubishi beat out Honda and Toyota in the 2020 JD Powers Initial Quality Survey. It is the top-rated Japanese brand, actually! These Mitsubishis have been largely ignored in the USA for quite awhile, but it seems like people are waking up to how great and reliable they really happen to be.
GoPro Max 360° Footage
As you can imagine, the footage would take hours to watch at regular speed. I have uploaded a clip that would normally be 7 minutes and 15 seconds, but I sped it up to twice the normal speed (3 minutes and 38 seconds) to give an example of part of the road. I recorded a large portion of the entire trip, and will be adding more of it as time goes on. Bookmark this article and come back if you are interested in seeing it.