We had a Jeep Liberty that literally fell apart in the 2 years that we owned it. I wish I had stripped off the plastic kick plate (?) when we first got the thing. Here in North Central Vermont the plastics totally wrecked the rocker panels and made our Liberty a junkyard ornament. So now we have a 2004 Toyota Highlander. It came from a warmer Southern climate and was well cared for. It is a Limited version and has all the goodies including heated seats and a sun/moon roof. All we wanted was a good car with a clean body that wasn't about to die.
I'm still learning about the Highlander so I am not exactly sure how this SUV qualifies as a 4x4, but that's what the tag says. So far we have gotten 17.5 MPG with combined driving so I'm a little confused as to why a 3.3 L V6 gets that kind of fuel mileage if not for the weather we've had and the use of 4x4 as needed. We've had it for about a month now and it rides like a cloud on pillows compared to the Liberty. I'm also glad to have room for my knees. If you have never had a Jeep Liberty, and you have the chance to drive one, give it a try. You'll appreciate your vehicle that much more. I suppose after 2 years you get really tired of things like that.
I'm not sure if Moses would allow a Highlander addition to this sight, but it would be interesting to know what has been tried and what has been accomplished with the Highlander 4x4. If you drive one, let me know what you think, and about its longevity. Ours has just over 103,000 miles on it now. I can't wait to drive it this summer without the heated seats on.