And if you don't believe Subarus are tough enough, just Google Subaru BRAT & Baja!

 

Shoguns are utility like Carp mentions, avoid unless you are a farmer

Nissan Cashcow has a big boot but 4wd are rare

The pickups are thirsty, brother runs a Nissan as a work motor but it can take some weight - downside of that is back end is stiff and flighty as a result

I would get a banger for the work you describe, you'd wreck a newer car. I talk from experience of a renovation

 

I drive an Isuzu Dmax when we are over in Cyprus (you need something like that for their roads) and it's pretty woeful if comparing it to a car. My comments on the interior are from this experience, but the ride is also pretty dreadful, but what I would expect from such a vehicle.

It sounds like you would be better off with a car that handles off road / load lugging than a truck that has back seats. Also, maybe it's just me, but the rear doors on these things are shockingly small, EVERY time i open it, i give it the usual 'pull' and it just swings back onto the stops and back into my knee or other part of the body. Granted, I should learn, but I drive and the front doors are HUGE (what you expect for a 3dr hatch etc), but the rear doors tiny so the muscle memory catches me out everytime.

That sort of thing just annoys me.

Volvo or subaru sound favourite.

 

Subaru would be my choice, or an Evo X

I had a CRV, they're OK but basically a FWD. The rears only kick when they detect a certain amount of slip from the fronts below certain speeds. No sort of LSD on either axle either IIRC. Not really a true 4x4

 

So in summary generally I should be prepared for not as much mpg as I should expect and the the handling to be awful

Any ideas of Nevara vs Hilux vs L200 comparisons? (and I don't mean to cars/SUVs I mean to one another! )

 

As UF said, I had an L200 Warrior and it was extremely good.

Doris really wants another (keeps bashing wheels on the RR) I used it for all sorts, lugging bikes, rubbish, wheels, the S2000 on a trailer... I actually used it for weekly London commute for a year too. Very happy at 80 on the motorway, dirt cheap tax and insurance. Mine was a 180bhp Animal and it was pretty nippy!

Only downside is the handling is shit, but it's very comfy.

 

I still like the idea of UNIMOGs...

 

Must be a few ex military around.

 

I have an old CRV parked on my driveway and it only really gets used a few months of the year, December to March (that is unless my S2000 is fecked and I hate driving the Jazz)

Never been stuck anywhere and I live near the top of a big hill that lots of cars get stuck on every year, twice I have had to leave the S2000 parked down the hill in the village as I couldn't get it home.

Before that I had an even older CRV and before that I had a RAV 4 ..... they all did the same job.

 

Oc a cr-v with winters is all you need.