I can't quote today's prices but can tell you that 25 years ago when it came to buying parts: $1 for a GM part was = to about $1.40 for the same Ford part which was = to about $170 for the same Dodge part. The purchase price of the vehicle reflects this to some degree but I bout about $75 K worth of parts in the year I am quoting.

If you own an older vehicle, parts become part of the equation. BTW I have owned a '98 GM 4x4 for the last 11 years that drives me a bit buggy from time to time, but I still love the old gal. She doesn't owe me a cent!

NO FORD EXPLORERS , they call them exploders for a reason......a good used jeep , is my first choice we have a 2005 2 door unlimited , and most in my group will tell you you can pack a lot of stuff in to it....I have it set up as turn key operation , in case I'm not home the misses can jump in and go and leave with 3/4 months supply already packed....not great on fuel but the in line 6 cy in it is bullet proof....

I gave this a lot of thought before I bought. No point in dragging 5000lbs of empty pickup around all the time what with the price of gas. And let's face it, trucks handle like crap.
VW diesel - TDI Passat wagon.
Long and low, handles well at any speed and rides nice.
Tows 1/2 ton. Plenty of torque.
Vertical storage space is not nearly as useful as floor space. Long enough to fold the seats down and sleep. Can carry 10' lengths with the hatch closed. It's like having a 6' bed, hard top pickup or flip the seats up and seat 4 with plenty of trunk space.

Great fuel mileage. Average over the 200k in 7 years is 6.7l/100k or 45 mpg.
10 gal fuel tank, 900K range

Old 4Runners or Pathfinders can usually be found for a good deal, and if you can find one without rust, then you will likely find you have little to work on.
An older Jeep, either a YJ or Cherokee style are plentiful, and they tend to withstand the test of time.
Samurai, Sidekicks, and Trackers, as others have said are great options, lots have been daily drivers and never beat on.
Let's not forget the Landrovers and Landcruisers that are kicking for great deals, both in gas and diesel, though some are RHD.
And last, but certainly not least, Pajeros, Delicas, and other imports of the like are reliable, capable, and the vans offer living spaces.

To me a 4x4 is a no brainer, but manual hubs or on the fly is a tough call, manual is more reliable, and no electronics involved.
All of the vehicles I listed above were mass produced, and parts tend to be readily available and affordable.
Picking a vehicle that has covered cargo space is high on my list of priorities, as it could always double for a living space, and makes it more difficult to steal from.
Choosing between a manual and auto transmission is important. Manuals tend to break down less, are more serviceable, and can be started without a battery if need be.
Automatics rely heavily on computers, are difficult to fix, but offer ease and comfort of driving.
Hiding in plain sight is a factor. On an average day most people don't think anything out of the ordinary when they see a "jeep type" vehicle lifted with bigger tires, a roof rack, bull bar, re-enforced bumpers, winches, front and rear hitch receivers, etc... Though the same look could make you a target in SHTF.
Diesel or gas? You can make bio-diesel or ethanol reasonably easy. You can run pure bio-diesel in most diesels after 1994, anything before that you may have to retrofit seals, gaskets, etc... Ethanol needs to be blended with gas in most vehicles, but could certainly stretch out fuel supplies.
While fuel economy is of course a concern, most of these vehicles can be had in 4 and 6 cylinder models, though many have V8 options if that's what you prefer.
One last thing to consider is the price of a "donor vehicle", one you could possibly store at a BOL, to scavenge parts from if ever needed.

I would suggest finding something you think you would like to drive everyday, then go to an enthusiast forum, and find out everything you can about them.
What goes wrong most often, how easy are the fixes, where do people buy parts from, etc.
If you have a local enthusiast group that gets together, even better, as lots of people in those communities love to share their knowledge, experience, and skills.

I am working on an early 80s Jeep Cherokee myself.

Living in a semi-rural area with lots of dirt roads, turns, twists, and hills, there are a few things I am looking for in a BOV.
First, it won't be used every day, but needs to be useful when I need it for hauling firewood, lumber runs, general kicking around.
As per the roads here, and for bugging out, 4 x 4 is a must.
A covered cargo area, which can also be easily removed for larger items.
Back bench seat for child/booster seats...meaning 5 passenger.
Although I can easily add one, a tow hitch is a big bonus.
Automatic so DW can drive it too.
Gas fueled so I don't have to store different fuels.

I have looked at the old classic SUV types such as Broncos, Jimmys, etc, but they lack the removable cargo area.
Looks like my best bet will be a pickup, but finding a good deal in one with a decent rear seat and the removable cap is a challenge.

I have had a number (3) of Jeep Cherokees over the years. Two automatic and one standard transmission. I still maintain one with a plow for snow removal but I moved to a Dodge Dakota 4x4 crew cab a few years ago. V8 magnum and a Leer truck cap on the back. The smaller box is a bit of a pain but the larger motor in the id sized truck means lots of power. With the crew cab it is a great family mobile and just like a car. In all the years I have used it I have never taken the cap off although it comes off very easily. Meets my needs quite nicely. When it is time for another one I think I will sacrifice fuel economy and go for a full sized truck, just because of the box space. I would love a diesel too if I had the choice.

I personally like the Toyota 4Runner with V8 4.7l, 4x4 with a little extra lift! The 4Runner (at least 4th gens) are one of the last SUVs to still be built on truck frames (vs many SUVs built on car frames). Fully capable of towing, transmission cooler, larger brakes/rims, etc...

But.... that's not at all on a student budget. 🙂

Second in line to the 4runner, is a honda CRV. They've had excellent history repair/reliability wise, is available in a 4 cylinder for the gas budget minded (also a v6 for those who need). Look around for a 10 year old honda crv in reasonably good condition. Its fairly small for city driving/parking, but still available as fully 4x4 capable. 4 cylinder will keep the gas budget down.

There are also older toyota trucks with 4-cylinder engines in them (like 2nd generation ones from late 90's I think). Check out an older toyota tacoma.

I'm usin my 1992 Ford F250 with fuel injection and 120 Liters of fuel.
I'm not going that far if I have to bug out from my Bugging in.
Big Old Pick Ups can bash their way through stuff these new one just blow in to peices.
I've pulled stuff that would scare most people 🙂