The Highlander non hybrid is an AWD system, much like a RAV4. The general terms 4wd,awd etc get convoluted and confused by salespeople, car makers, owners and the rest of us alike, even here. Part time 4wd like an older F150,it is NOT. It’s a full time AWD system that changes torque distribution from front to back on demand, automatically.
So, instead of just asking the “type” or name of the system, you really have to ask how it functions.
When someone says a 4wd is always different from awd, I ask; Why does it say 4wd on the back of a CRV ? You can then see why a function explanation is more important than a label.