Is she actually going to use it off road? If she is then rav 4 is the best of the 3 but if it is going to be another chelsea tractor then I would say dont bother (not that I have anything against 4x4s, in-fact I own servile) , it works out cheeper and more practical to go for a large car instead.
Freelander= unreliable
Rav 4= best choice of 3
honda crv= useless 4x4 system
I think your unreliabilty of the Freelander is based on Freelander 1 not 2. As far as off road performance is concerned yes the Rav 4 is pretty good (as are most Suzukis) but Freelander is definitely best in class. This is not just my opinion, it is based on actually trials - it's part of my job.
I personally drive a 2005 Subaru Forester, not a full blown SUV but has loads of ground clearance, levelling rear suspension, locking diffs, plenty of power and handles very well in the dry. It also came out well in trials off road when tested some years ago.
Like has already been mentioned though, Defender is the only way for severe off road. If you never go off the tarmac don't bother with a 4WD. If you just want a higher driving position consider a people carrier or soft roader or one of the pretend ones (front wheel drive).
Nissan X-trail was pretty good too in the comparison trials but I have no personnal experience of it.
One vehicle that seems to be making waves at the moment is the Skoda Yeti 4x4. I have not had the opportunity to try it yet but on paper it should be pretty good.