Yes, I thought the tread was interesting, too. The "Biting Edges" looked like they might provide more traction on soft ground but not interfer with normal paved road travel. The "Biting Edges" are a little more obvious when you look at the tire in person vs. the picture on the web site...
If this is your first car (and your first 4Runner), you just need to drive it for a while to get a feel for the vehicle. After that, the question is "off road" or "what". The answer to that question will give you some direction to start doing research. Good luck.
I've read quite a few tire threads on this site but did not see much mention of Michelin LTXA/T2 tires. I asked my long-time tire dealer to recommend a tire for occassional off road driving that would not generate an increased level of road noise as I also take a number of long road trips. The...