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I need to get a new car because my car was totaled in an accident I wanted a 4Runner but I'm reading rumors that the 4Runner may not be around for much longer and I would hate to get a discontinued vehicle because it may be hard to re-sell. I like the 4Runner and almost got one a few years ago but when doing my research it seems that several publications rate the Highlander as the highest rated SUV across the board. The Highlander seems like the Camry of SUV's to me-bland and boring but very reliable. I like the 4Runner better than the Highlander at this point and a couple of friends have said a Highlander looks like a "female" SUV. (I'm a male) I'm not sure what that means. It just looks boring to me. The Lexus RX330 looks like "female" vehicle to me but not the Highlander but I digress. I've done a lot of research on both of these and know the pros and cons of both but I wanted to ask a couple of questions:

1. Has anyone heard any reliable info on if the 4Runner will still be produced? It's sounding more and more like Toyota may follow the crowd as far as getting rid of truck based mid-sized SUVs.

Anyway, I think I really wanted a 4Runner but when I did my research the Highlander seemed like the better buy considering it was cheaper, more fuel efficient, more reliable(not that 4Runner was ranked low, just not as high as the Highlander), and I really don't need to do any towing. I guess I just like the 4Runner better but I am concerned about it being discontinued as well as the trend seems to be going away from truck based mid-sized SUV's to the crossovers.

Any feedback would be helpful.  

You need to look under the skin to understand the real differences between the 4Runner and a Highlander.  The 4Runner will take some abuse, it has a frame, it has a real 4-wheel drive system (planetary gears/differential - no electrical wheel braking and control to achieve 4-wheel drive)and the 4Runner V-6's mileage is maybe 2 miles per gallon less than Highlander.

You should also be able to easily get a better deal on a 4Runner than a Highlander.

I own a 2008 4Runner Limited 4WD V-6.  The refinement of the engine/transmission is Lexus like; much smoother than any competitor. It has an excellent ride for a solid rear axle vehicle, and you won't break it, if you have to go off road.

Also, the current 4Runner is built at the same plant in Japan as the Lexus equivalent and the Prius.  I doubt that the build quality of the Highlander can match that of the 4Runner. If you are looking for a vehicle that you can use for 10 years, look no further.