I would consider something like the old suburban mentioned, or any older sport ute. 4 wheel drive if you are in that kind of country were you really might need it.
I say older because, in the event of a nuclear incident the EMP will disable any newer vehicle with electronic ignition or an onboard computer.
Find an old Ford or Chevy truck, pre '74 (this is when electronic ignition came online), get a mechanically inclined friend to help you fix it up some, get him or her to teach you how to change points, the basics of what makes it tick. If a real SHTF scenario comes up your local mechanic shop isn't going to be much help. Use the internet and find some old chilton manuals and learn the basics of how a vehicle mechanically functions.
A straight six in one of these old rigs would be a plus over a V-8 for the improved fuel economy and they tend to be stronger from a reliability standpoint.
Just my 0.02.

Hiding your vehicle would be another concern. You don't want it to give away your location. Really all I am counting on my vehicle for is to get me as far as it can take me, but not to close to my B.O. location. Unless you have something like a dirt bike or ATV that you can easily hide. No if you plan on being on the run instead of bugging out, then that's different. I'd want a fast tank of some sorts. Welded bars over bullet proof glass, built in accommodations. Jacked up 4wd minivan with alterations could work.

I might add that if I were to buy a vehicle for bugout I'd get a chevy pickup from the late 70's early 80's, and fix it up with all new performance drivelines.

Go with a 350 small block chevy for a motor, and an auto trans. This is the most common engine in American history.

Of course stick with a carb, and old school ignition, or keep your MSD in a faraday cage.

We've driven from the states to Brazil 3 times in the past ten years and have experienced just about every road condition there is.

10 - 12 years ago when it wasn't as safe to travel around Central America by vehicle we used to caravan in 4 by 4 pick ups with the beds fenced in sides and tops with chain link fencing and razor ribbon.

In a serious situations trailers don't cut it. Harder to get to high speeds quick if you need to, harder to maneuver in and out of traffic. In a flood situation where the roads are washed out, a 4 by 4 might get you through, but a trailer will either have to be left behind or hold you up for days waiting till it's safe to pass.

Also you might consider rocky situations or those where you might need to climb.

80s model 4 by 4 pick ups - look into what downtown436 posted
Edit to add star and flag for an important post!
[edit on 19-9-2009 by Sundancer]

[edit on 19-9-2009 by Sundancer]

I would say gt anyting diesel.. my ex marine frined, taught us about the NWO mid 90's. We talked about this one ngiht, i aremeber, with others. His conclusion, wasa truck, diesel. why? becuase gasoline has to be refined more, and it will msot liekly be amongst the most used up fuel when the SHTF. smart epople will store and use disel..diseal burns slower, and will ge you MUCH much farther. air may not be clenaer, but it will alst u alot longer, rather than running out of gas and having to find more of it.

Less maintenace too! thas an important thing to consider. gas engines require oil changes and constant cleaning..diesls like to run dirty* manual trasnmission by far WILL overpower and outperfrom an atuomatic tranny. manual transmissions require less service than automatics, they dont have as many internal mechanism.

I am partial to my 2001 Jeep Wrangler because it is a very smooth ride even with the 33" tires and also manouvers in very tight places. I can use the hard top as a shelter and the damn thing is like a mountain goat.

Aside from that you need something not necessarily to bug out in but to get home in. What if you are at work when tshtf? How you gonna get home? Not in a Miata!!! If you were in my Jeep you would be home with your loved ones while everyone else was sitting in the long parking lot they call an interstate.

I once took the advice that someone gave me.

Map out a route home from work which involves using no bridges or overpasses. You may need to get creative up to and including blazing your own trail. That may take you through creeks, alleys, up the side of a hill pushing over trees as you go, over rocks and thru mud but one thing is for sure..... I WILL make it home for dinner.

As you can tell from my screen name, I'm very partial to Internationals. My bug out truck is a '76 IHC Scout II. Lovingly known as a "corn binder" because of the relation to international farm equipment. Most people shorten this to just binder. The Scout IIs were built between 1972, and 1980. The stock 345 engine is unstoppable, and you don't need a lot of mechanical know how to keep it running. It will easily pull a 5000 lb+ load. With 5 or 6 inches of suspension lift, no spring over, and no blocks. The proper way is to re-arch the springs. Throw on a set of 33x12.50 tires, locker in the rear axel (no front locker, it can cause steering issues when off roading, and end you up on your top or back side) and make all the Jeep, and Range Rover guys cry like toddlers who just lost their balloon at the fair. I've run the rubicon with this rig twice, and only had to use the winch once. I've played all over moab, and hardly spun a tire. I have less than $5K tied up in the truck, and it routinely out performs vehicles with five times as much money invested in them. It is built like a tank, and after adding a roll bar it would easily survive a roll over, and be driveable. The body design lends itself easily to internal armor plating to stay low profile. The double box, fully welded, full length ladder frame is virtually indestructable. It isn't built like a big car which is how 99% of every other SUV is built. It is built like a small commercial truck. It is more stable, and much more powerful than a Jeep CJ or wrangler. It is much more off road capable than a discovery with about 20 deg better approach angle, and about 10 deg better departure angle. The undercarriage has no rock magnets. In other words all the drive line components set above the frame rail so your chances of high centering are almost nil. If you do think you might high center and it's a short obstacle hit the gas and plow over it without too much worry about damaging a component hanging down. The only thing that can catch is the propeller shaft or the differential housing. Ever see a Range Rover frame skid? It ain't purdy. Plus if you do it right when arching the spring for the lift, you'll have about 28 to 32 inches of articulation. My binder ramps 34 inches with a few "special" mods, but 28" of articulation should be easily achievable. This means I can overcome an obstacle almost 3 feet high and maintain traction. The only rigs that out climb a binder built right, are one-off custom rigs with well over $50K in them. If you don't believe me U2U me, and we'll go wheelin'!!
My second choice would be the late 80s 4-Runner. I had one with the 22RE, and a few suspension mods, and the previous poster was right it will go anywhere as long a you have 3 wheels on the ground. The 22RE is not underpowered. It is just not fast. It will pull the world you just can't be in a hurry to do it.

you should buy a trail bike... something like an Africa Twin or a KTM 4 stroke... both can hold the extra weight and avoid traffic congestion...

The answer is exceeding obvious!

A retired Police Interceptor. There's plenty of room to haul things around, though not exceedingly so. They are quite a bit more fuel efficient than a 4WD, usually extremely well maintained, broken in, rediculously easy to work on and disguisable.

The retirement dates on the Interceptors vary. You may be thinking I'm nuts, but listen up.

For a sedan, they have a fair amount of ground clearance. Provided you protect the radiator, they'll theoretically run forever. These vehicles are designed for constant use and to be beat up. IF you take the time and learn to drive off-road, you'll realize that 4wd on a vehicle is for emergency use only. You drive until you're stuck, then you put her in 4 and climb out. If you learn to drive off-road, it will be a rare moment when you get stuck. But in a Police Interceptor, there' a handy ram mount on the forward bumper that can be easily (and cheaply) modified to fit a winch. Same function and far more reliable and has quite a bit more uses than a secondary drive system.

The car itself shouldn't cost over $3,000 US (this is primarily for American's bug-out vehicle). The mods to get her off-road worthy will run around $2,000 if you buy new. This includes the winch. Many cruisers are already fitted with side-plating and bulletproof glass (if you purchase from specific cities.) They are powerful, handle well provided they are maintained properly, and should suit any need you could have for them.
Watch out for the air-intake system, though. For some reason, the manufacturers think that these Interceptors won't ever see flooding.

[edit on 20-9-2009 by Arrowmancer]

My BOV is a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 4.5" lift, 33x12.50 tires, 5.2L V8. Not the greatest choice but I needed a new car, and just kept this one around as a "spare" for when we have one in the shop. Now it's just my off-road toy and BOV.

If you're looking to buy something specifically as your BOV, here's some things I would consider:

How many people are you taking with you? (BIGGEST question!)

IMO, you want something that can carry 4-5 people PLUS all your gear. It may start out as just you & your wife, or just you, but there may be friends or family members at your house when SHTF, or nearby begging for help, you may feel obligated to help them. If not, then you've got room for more gear. If you get a pickup make sure it has a bed cover, topper, something to keep the weather & thieves out.

You want something that can carry all your people plus all your gear, without a trailer. Trailer is a bad idea. Ditch the trailer. It cuts down on your maneuverability big-time in navigating the obviously congested roadways during SHTF. Cuts down on your fuel economy and leaves lots of gear open to theft just sitting there on the trailer. Personally, if it were me, I plan on sticking to the back roads, and when I encounter traffic I'm just driving through the grass/ditch/mud/field and going around. Can't drive through a mud bog with a trailer.

Diesel is better on longevity, dependability and mileage. Once you've made it to your hidey-hole you can make your own diesel with vegetable oil, or maybe convert to WVO (waste vegetable oil). That being said tho I think diesel will be one of the first things to disappear during SHTF. Gasoline is far, far more prevalent and available in America. YMMV. Around here at least, if I randomly selected 10 gas stations around town only one or two of them would even carry diesel.

Alot of people are bagging on Jeeps here but I think they're great. Short wheelbase provides great maneuverability, there are LOTS of them on the road to scavenge for parts, and pretty easy to fix yourself. 70's model CJ's are the best. My 1995 Grand Cherokee has been through hell and back, twice, and hasn't broken or got stuck yet with over 160k on the clock.

Chevy Blazer Zr2. With a small trailer and raft like I have. Best for all situations.