I currently drive a Volvo V50 which is perfect for me and four dogs, however winter conditions pose problems. I live in a rural and hilly part of Devon and in 2010 and 2011 I couldn't leave the village for a week, and even the comparatively light snowfall of recent weeks made getting up the driveway an adventure, and hill starts well just forget it. I had decided to bite the bullet and buy a 4x4 but after reading that a better bet might be a 2-wheel-drive and winter tyres, I am confused. I need a spacious interior and a bit of power to cope with the locality. As a woman on her own who knows nothing about mechanics, reliability is important and I have a budget of around £26,000. I really need some independent advice before I hit the showrooms.