What is the best small 4wd?

I want a small used 4wd that is safe, reliable, economical to run in normal city driving, but can do at least some basic off-roading although it is unlikely to be too difficult.  What would you recommend?  Maybe a Rav4?

Darren

What you ask for is no longer built. It was called a Suzuki Samari or "Sami". A Rav4 will not fit the bill here at all. Next best choice would likely be a use wrangler with a 4 banger. or a 2000 or older Cherokee with same engine. Nothing new out there. Maybe a Kia sportsge too.

A older used Jeep Wrangler or Cherokee with a 4-banger or a much better 6- cylinder and a 5-speed manual trans. would be a great choice.

I would stay away from the Rav-4 or the Kia Sportage as Snoman suggested.

These are all junk 4X4's

In my book, the '99 to current Jeep Wrangler is the best trail vehicle overall, other than the (Rubicon).

Good luck with your choice!

The only thing wrong with the early Kia sportages where they where a bit under powered for their weight (only a 2.0 but a proven Mazda motor) but they actually were pretty well built otherwise.

You might also look at a chevy blazer with 4.3 ltr.  May not be as economical as a sami or even a wrangler. My wifes 97 gets 17mpg..  so not the best as far as mpg are concerned but still a decent around town and mild off road ride.  

If you plan to play a lot of road, a used Jeep, Sami or Kia Sportage would be a better choice here. They are all better built for off road usage than a S10 blazer is. The S10 is kinda a car with 4wd built for street use and the others are 4x4's that can be used as street cars too.

I agree with snoman find you a samuri those sami's will go a lot of places with just a little more aggressive tread and a rear locker than most people think they will.  

maybe you know something i don't....i agree with the samurai being better off road than a blazer.  but a kia sportage?  what makes a kia so wonderful offroad?  i think a blazer, especially a blazer ZR2 would be a much better choice than a kia sportage.  

The blazer is car with 4wd added, the Sportage is a more of a true 4x4 and a lot better built. True is has less creature comforts and rides ruffer but it a simpler sturdier design. Though some consider s10 blazers serious offroad machines, I do not unless they have been modified a LOT to over come their weaknesses.

I'm not trying to start a war here, I'm just trying to understand.  You say the blazer is full of weaknesses?  Can you provide examples as to why the blazer is so weak and car like?  Likewise, what makes a sportage more of a true 4x4 and so sturdy?

I sense no war at all.  The old sportage used live axles and a older proven design and it a very study vehical. I actaully nearly bought one in 2000 and would of if it had had just a bit more power (there is more than enough of road it just need a little more for high speed cruising with A/C on as it weighed about 3400 lbs empty)  I was realy impressed with how it was puttogether underneath and draintrain wise where as like I said earlier, the S10 is a car first and 4x4 second and it get more car like with each revision (same as GM trucks are too) There was a day when you could buy a simple, cheap reliable 4x4 but those days are gone. Best bet today is a clean used Cherokee, Sammy, Sportage or the like as they all had simple proven and sturdy designs that placed ruggedness first and comfort second.

I have done looking into the "old sportage".  The oldest models I can find are from 1995.  Was their a different style of sportage made before 1995?

I ask this because the information I found on the sportage (95 and newer) suggests that they were equipped with independent suspension front and rear, not the live axle setup you had mentioned.  In fact the review I read states "The part-time 4-wheel-drive system was intended only for use on slick surfaces."  Which has been my understanding of their 4x4 systems and would lead me to believe they weren't designed to, nor function well off-road.

Meanwhile these, as you put it "carlike", S10s were even available from the factory with an off road package consisting of a heavy duty 8.5in (same as GM fullsize trucks) solid axle rear end with locking differential, an enhanced front-ring gear (IFS),  off-road shocks, skid plates, and tires, in addition to having a wider track and 3in increase in ride height.

I have owned and gone off-roading with 2 ZR2's and found them to be quite capable.  I have never been off-road with a Kia Sportage but I have taken one out for a test drive and found it to be a less-than-pleasant experience on the hiway which leads me to believe it would not be a superb choice off-road.

Full time 4x4 really has no place on the road. They made it to sell a no brainer 4x4 system to people that would not buy 4x4 otherwise. As far as packages for S10, they are just that sales hype packaged and nothing more and do nothing to change the fundimental design weakness of them. Low ground clearance, things hanging down below main frame rails and more gadjets to fail especailly the push button 4x4 drive system that is a pain in th but when it starts to fail and act up. Give me a simple 4x4 with no push points and shifter on the floor any day. BTW, there were no sportages in US prior to 95 so you will not find them. If you want a street 4x4, get a S10 but if you want to play hard and have something that is simple and reliable, buy something else used.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/778665
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/library/uc/ucdscott.htm

Maybe its because I hate S-10s because I think they have a terrible build quality, but I would rather have one of those Sportages over any S10.  Chevy uses all of their build quality control on the full size trucks.

You could even get a 95 sportage with manual hubs and a transfer case lever, according to the articles I read.

Not much truck quailty in new full sized one either as they are more car than car and every year there is more to go wrong with them too.