AWD vs 4WD and overall durability

[Rdfish1]

Im not sure how well folks on this site can answer this question but my local toyota dealer made a suggestion that i had not considered. He said i should look more closely at the new highlander and not the 4runner, and this was the dealer with a huge inventory of runners. Anyway, he wasnt being negative just picked up on a few things i said and thought the highlander might be a better fit.

My concern is, i will use the vehicle for medium duty offroad use which is several miles of rutted, moderate mud that is thick and slippery enough that 2wd is not adequate but i think awd will work and last, creek crossings that are a full 18 inches deep and sometimes as deep as 2 feet at the peak rainfall months.

My question is, i know a 4runner is better designed for this type of environment but will an awd highlander be capable of holding up to monthly trips in these conditions or is it likely to fail? Might be hard to answer but thought i,d run it past you. Im sure a forum like this will have a strong bias to the runner but maybe some have an informed perspective around suitability for my conditions. The interst kies in the superior ride quality and fuel economy vs a more hard core truck platform, which is a popular trend amoung crossover suv owners.

Thx

 

[BlackWorksInc]

No, I don't think the Highlander would do well. The issue is that while yes its AWD, its just not really built for that; I don't believe any Unibody vehicle can really stand up to the repeated abuse off-roading does. I know far too many Jeep Grand Cherokee owners who take their vehicles on regular off-road trips and always comment that the unibody needs repairs after regular abuse. I just can't see the unibody design the Highlander has standing up to the repeated flexing and shock of the conditions you describe.

Also, the AWD system on the Highlander is weaker than the 4WD system of the newer 4Runners (even though most of the lower trims lack a center locking differential from what I remember), the CV axles, differentials, transfer case, and transmission aren't robust enough to handle the kind of conditions you're describing. I don't even think a Highlander can do 18" of water.

 

[JBecker]

My concern is, i will use the vehicle for medium duty offroad use which is several miles of rutted, moderate mud that is thick and slippery enough that 2wd is not adequate but i think awd will work and last, creek crossings that are a full 18 inches deep and sometimes as deep as 2 feet at the peak rainfall months.

And he recommended the Highlander? Salesman...

 

[4runnernate]

Im a toyota salesman and i would never recommend the highalnder for that type of thing. The highlander is based on a car. Unibody and awd are car features not truck features. A unibody cant take the abuse of off roading. Its sole design is for street use.

 

[wc11]

Highlander = Primarily FWD unibody. Lower towing capacity.
4Runner = Primary RWD body on frame. ie: a real truck

 

[NoDak]

Highlander = Primarily FWD unibody. Lower towing capacity.
4Runner = Primary RWD body on frame. ie: a real truck

actually the Highlander XLE and Limited have a 5000 tow rating. the lower models have a 2000 tow rating. which is funny since the LE Plus has a 2000 rating with the same v6 as the XLE and Limited.