Can anyone recommend me a small, reliable older 4x4 car?

[PutinsMicropenis]

I live rurally, and I own a horse. I will be moving her this summer to a new place, which is almost up on the moors and sometimes has snow in the winter, and I will need to be able to get there every day. For this and other reasons I think I need to change my car to one with 4x4. I wont have a massive budget (maybe £4/5k), I don't mind something older at all BUT I'd like it to be super reliable and quite good on fuel and not cost a fortune to tax. It doesn't need to be huge either, but not so small that I can't fit a bale of hay in the boot! Has anyone got any recommendations?

I have a Freelander 2 and it is excellent. I am on my 2nd and they have both been great. V capable off road. On snow it is really the tyres that make the difference though. You could get any car 4x4 and put a set of winter tyres on for the coldest months of the yr if you would rather buy something smaller.

Round here, you see a lot of Jimnys and Honda CRVs (not as small) which are old. I had a 2006 CRV which I bought 7 years ago for £1500 and apart from some work on its brakes it didn't put a foot wrong. So much so that I sold it a year ago for £1000 to a neighbour when I upgraded and its still going very strong with him. Its brilliant in the snow and you could get 4 bales in it easily

Subaru Justy.
In over 30 years the only cars we’ve had that never once broke down were subarus. I think this is the smallest 4wd you can get.

Daihatsu Terios stopped.selling in 2009,but tremendously reliable. Tax over 300 though.

My mum has an ancient Jimny that matches that description fully.

Anything that isn't a Land Rover, especially if you are going older and cheaper.
Scoobies, Jimney, Daihatsu. Be careful with 4x4 versions of ordinary cars, the ground clearance isn't always enough for really pitted farm tracks, we have one and if DH is visiting way out farms, he'll take a work vehicle not our own.

Honda CRV.
On case uou need to tow - Pre 2007 the diesel will tow 1600kg I think. 2007 onwards the 2.2 will tow 2000kg.
Economical.
Mine does 45-50mpg on longer trips. About 40mpg round town.
Massive boot.

A mark 1 or mark 2 Toyota RAV4. Any newer and they are too big. I have both over the years and neither let me down ever. Stick on winter tyres too, as they make a massive difference.

Or if you can get one, an Outlander
But thirsting, and higher tax.

*thirstier

Ooh yes another Subaru vote. Bloody reliable.

Freelander 1 or 2
We had a Freelander 1 2l automatic for ten years, 06 plate ( it wasn’t new ). It was the one with the BMW engine and although it was an automatic had an option to change to manual transmission if needed. Really reliable, easy to drive and park, big wing mirrors, reversing sensors, good engine, Big boot, the back seats fold really flat so you can get a lot of clobber in there.
The Freelander 2 ha the lift up rear door instead of the swing out to the side one the FL/1 has, the spare wheel is on the rear door of the F
L/1 which makes the door heavy when opening it. The spare is inside the boot under cover in the FL/2.

Mitsubishi pinin long wheel base (5door) gdi is the petrol (ignore the d!) low box too and can tow but cute jeep like. Will go on and on.

See freelanders/land rover in general I haven't heard great things about reliability wise but I will have a look into them. The Honda crv and rav4 are definitely possibilities - Subaru Justy, just no, sorry, although I'd consider a different model!

Driving. Hyundi Tuscon now, 1.8 diesel, not a 4x4 but it’s pretty good in the snow. With snow tyres it’s even better. Lovely to drive, big boot, £30 a year road tax.

I had Jimnys for years always reliable and skipped over snow. I have had a freelander as well but couldn't afford the fuel as it was very thirsty and preferred the lightness of the Jimny. Now have a panda 4x4 as I drive around for work and like it but probably wouldn't have the clearance for you but I can confirm you can fit a couple of bales in the back.

I looked at a Jimny before the Freelander, the one we looked said 4x4 but you had to do something to the wheels to switch it to 4x4 mode and that put me off it. Didn’t like the idea of crouching in the mud and snow to fiddle with the wheels. So that’s something to look out for.

We absolutely bloomin loved our 2009 Nissan X Trail if that's any help! It was so nice to drive!

Disasters with freelancers in my family and extended family !

Thank you for the suggestions!