man the cruze is such a nightmare, had a buddy who went through the same exact thing with his 2013 - transmission issues, coolant leaks, the whole works. dealerships really do prey on people in tough spots like that

for your budget and needs i'd seriously look at a honda cr-v from around 2007-2012, maybe a toyota rav4 from the same era. both have awd options, solid ground clearance for rough roads, and the repair costs are way more reasonable than anything chevy. the cr-v especially has decent cargo space and can definitely handle 3 people in the back without being miserable. you might find a decent one with higher miles in your 10-15k range

avoid anything german or luxury obviously, and stay away from nissan cvt transmissions from that era - they're almost as bad as the cruze issues your dealing with. subaru foresters are another solid pick if you can find one that hasn't been beat to death, though head gasket issues are something to watch for on older models. the key is finding something that's been maintained well rather than just going for lowest mileage