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SX4 is a good shout. Daihatsu Terios, Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi ASX would also work. If you don't need to be up high, there was a 4wd Suzuki Swift. If you don't need 4wd and hate yourself, the first generation Ford EcoSport had ridiculous wading depth.
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A couple of thoughts, first is obviously to stay at home if there is heavy snow or flooding forecast in your area.
Second one is that in by far the vast majority of the situations where people are "stuck/stranded", its because they are amongst a huge queue of other traffic not moving. So having a more capable vehicle isn't really going to help because you aren't going to be able to go anywhere till everyone else is out of the way.
Having said that, a look on Autotrader shows a decent selection of older Subaru's, most of which would tick the relevant boxes. If you are handy with the welder, can do your own repairs and don't have to worry about ULEZ, there are a reasonable selection of older/scruffy double cab pickups to be had. Same for old-school SUV's, including a decent looking Frontera (2.2 petrol)!
But as with most questions about cars of this price, saying I'd like a "whatever" isn't really going to cut it unless you are prepared to travel any distance to get it. What counts is getting the best of what is available in your area, which may not be much. That would certainly be the case for me in Aberdeenshire!
Edited by badbusdriver on 08/01/2025 at 19:55
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Thanks for that
Any repairs/maintenance would be done by my local mechanic
By Subaru do you mean legacy , outback , Impreza or forester ?
Are the Subaru's and old SUV's not all in the £700+ tax bracket ?
What about the terios (2006 onwards) and even a MK4 golf ?
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I would look at a Dacia Duster. Simple and fairly tough things. Plenty of choice on Autotrader for the budget. Choice of 2 or 4 wheel drive.
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I understand why you have mentioned the duster but I really was asking about a petrol motor
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Available in petrol as well. Early models were 1.6.
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Yes but the 1.6 petrol is supposed to be dire
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In my opinion you can't beat a Honda CRV for that price.
Cheap, tough, reliable, high seating position and good ground clearance. Only down side is petrol version is fairly expensive to Tax.
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Basically most Japanese 4x4 designs (even if they don't all have AWD), as you mention driving in floods do some research as to where the air intake is and consider fitting a snorkel.
VED is always going to be expensive on the sort of thing you're looking for unless you go Diesel and that really means going older to avoid DPFs.
Not all Subarus are highest band VED, regd before March 06 and you're in the clear, after that avoid the H6 Outbacks and turbocharged Foresters, pity as these are the best ones to own, a low mileage H6 Outback is a fantastic car (chain cam drive too) but it will drink like a fish and they can rust badly especially cars that have lived in Scotland as so many of these have in their early years.
Whatever you buy needs to have been maintained well and you to keep it up, this is the Achilees heel of many Japanese cars , too many people buy them for their reliability and assume that means they don't need servicing or otherwise looking after, they will suffer neglect better than almost everything else but eventually they'll fail too.
Edited by gordonbennet on 09/01/2025 at 09:34
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First, I'm a bit confused as to why AndrewAUK99 started this thread but logger is now responding to the posts?. Are they one and the same person?
By Subaru do you mean legacy , outback , Impreza or forester ?
Are the Subaru's and old SUV's not all in the £700+ tax bracket ?
It isn't black and white, different cars of different ages produce different levels of CO2. Age and amount of CO2 produced is what determines tax cost, not whether it is or isn't an SUV. In addition, cars first registered before 1/3/2001 fall into one of two blanket tax rates, up to 1549cc and over 1549cc (£210 or £345 per year). But as an example, a 2007 Subaru Forester 2.0 is £415 per year.
What about the terios (2006 onwards)
The Terios was recommended by adampr.
and even a MK4 golf ?
As for the mk4 Golf?, not the first thing that would spring to mind if looking for a dependable vehicle for flooded roads or deep snow!. I wouldn't say that 4wd is a must, but at the very least you'd be looking for a decent amount of ground clearance.
Yes but the 1.6 petrol is supposed to be dire
Define what you mean by dire?, and according to whom?
I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it myself, a petrol Duster would seem one of the most sensible choices. Plenty of ground clearance, chunky tyres, a simple n/a petrol, its all good. You do actually get the 1.6 petrol with 4wd, but most aren't, though as I said, I wouldn't consider 4wd a must.
Edited by badbusdriver on 09/01/2025 at 09:33
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5 door and family size
I would not consider the Daihatsu Terios and Suzuki Swift "family size". Both are cramped for passengers and really challenged for boot space both of which are features you need for a family.
As for Subarus they are very expensive to maintain especially at the age you would get.
Unless its a car you know well cars of this age are unlikely to be trustworthy.
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5 door and family size
I would not consider the Daihatsu Terios and Suzuki Swift "family size". Both are cramped for passengers and really challenged for boot space both of which are features you need for a family.
Horses for courses.
We got a Daihatsu Sirion when the kids were 7 and 11, had it for three years and managed fine. But I guess for the mentality of the modern family where one must have the space to take everything (plus the kitchen sink), you are probably right. Having said that, the 2nd gen Terios is a spacious enough wee thing for four (cabin is a bit narrow for three on the rear seat) with a decent sized boot, similar in volume to a Focus or Golf of the time.
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Honda Civic 1.8
Bulletproof.
Older son has had one for 5 years.. He has tried hard but it is still running well at 90k miles.
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My RAV4 mk2 2003 petrol 2.0 has been amazing since I bought it 18 months ago . I’m finding I m using most of the time now except for long journeys when I use my E320 diesel.
Its Achilles heel is on motorways when the engine noise and 4Wd becomes a problem.
It makes me think why it’s taken me 60 years of driving other makes including Honda , which have suffered so many problems , that I have never bought a Toyota before now .
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My RAV4 mk2 2003 petrol 2.0 has been amazing since I bought it 18 months ago . I’m finding I m using most of the time now except for long journeys when I use my E320 diesel.
Its Achilles heel is on motorways when the engine noise and 4Wd becomes a problem.
It makes me think why it’s taken me 60 years of driving other makes including Honda , which have suffered so many problems , that I have never bought a Toyota before now .
Quite, i should have stayed with Toyota all the way through too, my Nissan Bluebird estate all those years ago was another superb totally reliable car.
I seem to recall your son, was it? looking at buying a Landcruiser like mine, did it work out for him? because i have a feeling ours which is now 20 years old will see me out.
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My son in law bought his Landcruiser 5 years ago when it had covered 175 k. Still going strong with minor stuff for the MOT.
Truly amazing vehicles but in common with my RAV4 of that era built in Japan using Japanese components rather than locally sourced in Europe .
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Daughter has run the 2.0 litre versions including one turbocharged version for years and hundreds thousands of miles, she also has a 1.8 as her runabout/dog carrier, all thrashed mercilessly, her high mileage ones were till running well at 150k, tends to be the suspensions need work at high miles.
They have all been good cars, the only issues daughter has had over probably 15 years of Civics is one of the small bore pipes was perishing on the TypeR NA version and leaked, easily missed.
Aircon compressors can fail, which is also known on CRVs, she's had one replaced with an aftermarket, genuine units are seriously expensive, son had a compressor fail on his CRV which was fixed under Honda approved used warranty, a £1400 job with genuine parts.
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great answers from everyone
seems the consensus is Japanese ( Rav4, CRV, Subaru ) or Duster for the bigger family car and Terios/SX4 for the smaller SUV
I did have a quick look on autotrader for the 1.6 petrol duster and it seems it came in Access guise which is so basic it doesnt even have A/C.
By the outback 3.0 do you mean this one ?..seems very good and cheap ?
www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410225493445
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ignore that outback comment.. I realise its £710 tax
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ignore that outback comment.. I realise its £710 tax
No its 55 plate so drops into the lower bracket, circ £400 IIR, however one glance at the MOT history dismisses it for me.
Edited by gordonbennet on 09/01/2025 at 16:50
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Strange , when I clicked on running costs for that car in auto trader it said £710 tax
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Strange , when I clicked on running costs for that car in auto trader it said £710 tax
Those cars which would be in the high band but regd before March (23rdMarch i'm almost certain) 2006 escape the highest VED rate, as you would imagine this is reflected in used values of affected cars.
Course its entirely possible the car could have a private(ish) plate for some reason, so you can't be completely sure until you know the date the car was first regd.
The car in question the ad says something about 63 reg whatever the heck that means, which might be causing the confusion.
Edited by gordonbennet on 10/01/2025 at 06:53
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You're absolutely right about the challenges of being stranded in traffic during extreme weather—having the most capable vehicle doesn’t help much if you're stuck in a queue. However, planning ahead is key. If you're looking for a practical older vehicle, Subarus are a solid choice for bad weather, especially the Outback or Forester models. They have excellent AWD systems and decent reliability for their age. For those with mechanical skills, older pickups or SUVs, like the Frontera you mentioned, can also be good options, but they may require frequent upkeep.
When car hunting, I agree it’s best to focus on what’s available locally. Checking classifieds and being ready to travel further for a good deal might widen your options. Also, don’t overlook essentials like carrying supplies (blanket, shovel, snacks) during bad weather. Sometimes preparation matters more than the vehicle itself.
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