I need advice about how to narrow down my next vehicle purchase to a
single make and model.  Here are my requirements:

1) The primary consideration is that I will be driving this vehicle
off road in snowy conditions (with a good set of chains installed). 
Obviously a four wheel drive system is in order.  I want something
that will perform well in what may become deep snow conditions.

All other considerations are secondary the the first requirement and
used to differentiate good off road performers.

2) Operation costs, meaning mostly fuel efficiency.  I realize that
vehicles meeting #1 aren't know for their great fuel economy, so I'll
take the best I can get.

3) I will be buying something several years old and would like to keep
the cost under $10,000. (Incidentally I somewhat enjoy keeping an old
vehicle running so I will probably go older and cheaper then this).

4) It would be nice to have an interior that's really quick to clean
after getting muddy, like vinyl.


   Again, what I am looking for is someway to look at all of the many
options that are available to me and find a way to narrow them down to
a make and model.

i dont know how deep the snow is, but new and older Suburu WRX's have
proved themselves in Rally Racing (WRC)

http://www.wrc.com/Home.aspx?lang=en_GB&flash=True