If small size and reliability are the top criteria, I've only owned two pre1970 vehicles that could cut it. The 1954 Morris Minor (first of the overhead valved motors) panel van I had was the only vehicle in Melbourne that could guarantee an armchair ride; there was one, still on its castors, in the back. These days they are officially veterans, I gather, so you wouldn't really use one as a runabout. Although I still own a 45 vinyl record with separate tracks indicating how to diagnose the various faults you could expect in such motors.

The Corolla KE10 was unbeaten (well, after 450k miles the only "normal" panel on it was the one between the windscreen and the bonnet; kangaroos keep panel beaters' kids at the best schools) and never left me at the side of the road until one day I was the front vehicle where two others behind me couldn't stop as quickly as I could. I had wanted to get it to 500 thousand miles with nothing done to the drive train but its career was shortened, terminally, by 6" and 50k miles.

These days you'll find better and cheaper cars that are much more recent.

But, have fun!

Cheers, Rowan