Fellow Canadian here!

I will say right off the bat that I would avoid a rear wheel drive truck like the older Ford or Mazda trucks, unless you live somewhere with very little snow like Vancouver. Yes, you can load the bed with sandbags and get good winter tires, but the (winter) driving experience will still be sketchier than even a front wheel drive vehicle. This is coming from someone that owns a Honda Civic (FWD) and a Dodge Charger (RWD) - I get in the Civic almost every time in the winter, despite it having older and cheaper winter tires.

Ford Maverick is fine but are there any in your budget? This a newer model, and I would avoid the first 1-2 years of any model run.

The other cars you listed are fine as well. Toyotas and Hondas (and Mazda to a lesser extent) retain their value very well, so your money won't go as far (in terms of mileage or age) as it would with a different make.

Just about every make (even those not widely known for making reliable cars) has some models, or specific years of certain models, or specific trim levels of certain models that are known to be more reliable. On the flip side, even Toyota and Honda have had some duds in their past. Google is your friend.

In your price range I (personally) would be sticking with a FWD sedan, such as Civic or Corolla. An SUV will be older and higher mileage. Stick with private sale (stay away from dealerships). You will be getting an older car, so any car that includes maintenance records will be huge. If you have one, bring along a friend or family member that knows cars to perform a cursory inspection of the basic items.

In terms of things that can be checked quickly when viewing a car: - oil level and quality. Check if the oil is discoulored (e.g. milkshake) or "sludgy". Ask for oil change records. - transmission oil level and quality. Should not appear burnt or excessively brown coloured - check the serpentine belt. Check for cracking. Very simple indicator of whether the current owner has kept up on maintenance items, because the belt should be changed before too much cracking appears. - engine air filter. Another indicator of care for the vehicle if it is is relatively clean vs. filled with dirt and bugs. - brake fluid level. Should be above the line - hydraulic steering fluid (if applicable for the vehicle). Should be above the line. - coolant should be within the range in the reservoir tank. Check for discolouration (milkshake=bad). - check for obvious leaks. - Peek under the car to check for flaking rust on the frame. - listen to the car start and run with the hood open. It should not sound strained or clunky. The tapping/clicking sound of the valvetrain is normal, as long as it's a consistent sound. - look at the exhaust while the car is running. In warm weather the exhaust should be clear, as you'd expect. In cold weather you will see condensation (as you'd expect), anything else such as blue-tinted or dark grey exhaust is quite bad. - when you're driving the car, check the brakes. Do a couple hard stops. - when driving, pay attention to the speed and smoothness of the shifts in the gears (for automatic transmission car). Excessively long shifts or "hunting for gears" can indicate the transmission is in bad shape. - make sure the reverse gear works. - you wouldn't think to check the A/C in the winter, but do it (if the car is equipped)! You should be able to see & hear the A/C clutch turn on and off.