I was a mechanic on all makes for years and was in the wholesale parts business after that.

Reliability- Toyota and Honda, hands down the most reliable. I was surprised at the amount of high mileage Subarus around that only needed maintenance.

An older Subaru Outback or Crosstrek may fit your needs. 25-30 mpg, AWD, safe and reliable. Larger than they look- you can jam a lot of crap in them. And one of the few vehicles you can buy with a manual transmission, if that is a factor.