Prospective Jimny owner looking for advice!

I don't know about you but in snow or ice I would much rather a Jimny than a i30, and if that's what your jimny is doing in these conditions you should get it checked because it shouldn't be.
And as for the agricultural statement.... it's a 4x4.
Comparing a hatchback and a Jimny is like comparing Apples and Oranges.

I appreciate that a Jimny is nowhere near the refinement and comfort levels of most "normal" cars - but as I've said, I'm not fussed about that. I'm used to driving horrible cars. Really, as long as it gets me to where I need to go and I can't feel the rain when I'm inside, I'm happy!

I don't believe for a second that a Jimny (or any other OFF ROAD vehicle) is skittish in snow. And adding winter tyres to a normal car doesn't make it a snowplough. I've had winter tyres fitted to my Focus before, and I barely felt happy driving it to the next town and back. I certainly wouldn't attempt to take it down the A9 in even flurry weather, it's just not designed for it.

Fact is, I want a winter car/weekend toy/roadtrip mobile, and I felt that a Jimny is the best candidate in terms of value for money (both for outright buying cost and running costs) and I'm glad I came here for opinions Mainstream review sites don't look upon the Jimny, or any 4x4 for that matter, very favourably at all.

I must admit though, if I were a rich man, I'd be tempted by a Range Rover...Or one of those Mercedes off road vans...or hell, one of those Unimog beasts lol

Venter has a point. The jimny is a short wheelbase car with a high centre of gravity and crude handling. It is RWD until you select 4WD, and cannot be used in 4WD full time like some other 4x4s. And as with any 4WD, the extra traction is only good for getting you moving and helping you drive out of the ditch. It does absolutely nothing to help you slow down and very little to stop you falling in the ditch in the first place.

Something with permanent 4WD and a centre differential such as a Rav4 would be preferable for the use you describe. The Jimny will be OK, just don't expect to be an ultra safe unstoppable snow bashing machine. And no car is good on ice, even a range rover, if it's on summer tyres. It's having the right tyres that makes the difference.

I did consider a Rav4, (one of the old 3 doors preferably) but from all the sources I can find they are apparently a bit rubbish when it comes to even just popping off road or in the snow etc etc for a short while. Decent used examples are getting to be pretty rare too.

Also, permanent 4WD doesn't particularly entice me, purely because I like the idea of maximum fuel savings possible. Yes I'm a cheap skate, lets leave the Scottish stereotypes alone lol

The Rav4 is certainly not as tough as the Jimny off-road but with the right tyres it will be just as good as the Jimny in the snow, and safer in patchy conditions where you can't keep the Jimny in 4x4 all the time.