I work on 4x4 for a living do them all, freelanders, discos , defenders..they maybe the best off road but my do they go wrong ......there's always something , gearboxes , transfer box , steering boxes spilling oil everywhere, air suspension bags , td5 injectors failing (fills sump with diesel ,oil level gets so high they run on there own oil BANG.
The best 4x4 you could buy for that money would be a landcruzer or import prado with the 3l turbo diesel engine .......there bullit proof..may not go off road as good as a defender but how serious are you about going off road, just up muddy tracks and farms ect. it will do it all and not spend half its life in a workshop......japs are best.
there's a saying in Australia
"If you want to go into the bush take a landrover, if you want to come back again take a landcruzer"