
2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro vs. 2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail: The Off-Road Battle
Both of these vehicles have been out to Hungry Valley OHV park on separate occasions and have been through our three-pack of tests there. The GX defeated the Land Cruiser, and the 4Runner TRD Pro took on the Honda Passport TrailSport. Therefore, we already went into this challenge knowing that the Toyota has an advantage on the ziggurat of integrity, where it went a full step higher thanks to greater flexibility and a disconnecting front stabilizer bar, while both were about equal on the hill climb. So to provide a new challenge, we put together a trail drive that combined a dirt road, some sand, whoops, and a high-speed washboard section to test them out more thoroughly.
The two vehicles have very different suspensions, with the TRD Pro opting for Fox shocks and the GX offering a more conventional setup, but with KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) up front. This system uses a hydraulic control to adjust the front stabilizer bar, so it can be tighter on the road for greater stability and loosen up off-road to allow for more articulation. At slower speeds, the GX was more comfortable and its steering felt much more precise. But on the whoops when it would bottom out, the impacts were very harsh in the Lexus.
That's where the 4Runner really came alive. This is the desert-running version of the Toyota, and when the speeds crept north of 40 mph, it was much more comfortable than the Lexus. The Fox shocks have internal valves that add pressure as the shock compresses, so when it bottoms out, it doesn't feel nearly as violent, and rebound is also well controlled. Weirdly, the 4Runner was quite uncomfortable at lower speeds, and it never really settled in. (The same is true of driving it on the road.)

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Forbes
16 minutes ago
- Forbes
Reinventing An Icon: The 2026 Honda Prelude Vs. Its 2001 Predecessor
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 24: The Honda Prelude Concept is on display during the 2023 Los ... More Angeles Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center on November 24, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Honda announced in December that Prelude is making its highly-anticipated return to the North American market for the 2026 model year, nearly 25 years after its last appearance. Although the new car will proudly wear the 'PRELUDE' badge, more than two decades of innovation will make it almost unrecognizable as a direct descendant of the original. To understand how different the all-new model will be when compared to the long-since-discontinued 2001 model, we took a closer look at the chassis, suspension, engine, technology, and pricing. When it arrived in 1997, the fifth-generation Prelude rode on a modified Honda Accord platform. While the wheelbase was shorter, it shared suspension and braking components with the Accord—double-wishbones at all four corners, and disc brakes with a single sliding caliper inside each wheel (the front rotors were ventilated). The 2026 Prelude will share a chassis with the Honda Civic—more specifically, the performance-tuned Type R model. It will feature an innovative dual-axis front suspension, paired with a multi-link rear suspension. There are massive two-piece ventilated brake rotors, with four-piston Brembo calipers, on the front axle. The rear axle will be fitted with disc brakes with single-piston calipers. The 2001 Honda Prelude had 16-inch wheels and 205/55-16 tires—small by today's standards, even though the SH model had slightly wider wheels. Expect the new Prelude to ride on 19- or 20-inch wheels and have significantly wider tires (keep in mind that the performance-oriented 2025 Honda Civic Type R is fitted with 19-inch wheels and 265/30ZR19 tires). Under the hood, the 2001 Prelude featured a standard naturally aspirated 2.2-liter four-cylinder (H22A4 VTEC engine), rated at 200 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, which sent all the power to the front wheels. A 5-speed manual gearbox was standard, but customers could also opt for a 4-speed automatic transmission. The 0-60 mph time was 7.2 seconds with the manual transmission, but it increased to 8.2 seconds with the torque converter automatic. A profile view of a blue 2001 Honda Prelude. The two-door sport coupe was produced by Honda from ... More 1978 until 2001. It's an entirely different story with the 2026 Honda Prelude, which has an advanced hybrid powertrain combining an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with Honda's e:HEV dual-motor hybrid system—one motor for propulsion, and a second for electricity generation (the Prelude won't have a turbocharged engine like the Civic Type R). Power estimates are 200 horsepower and 285 lb-ft for torque. While it retains a front-wheel drive powertrain, the standard transmission is the Honda S+ Shift system—an innovative gear shift simulation system with a sporty S+ Shift drive mode. It will be much quicker than its predecessor—expect the 0-60 mph time to be in a brisk 6 seconds (this rate of acceleration positions the new Prelude favorably against its two primary rivals, the Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 Miata). There was no 'infotainment' option on the last-year 2001 Honda Prelude. Instead, it was equipped with a standard AM/FM stereo, CD player, and six speakers. While it did feature Honda's Acoustic Feedback Sound System (AFB), the only driver interface was a one-line monochromatic LCD. Expect the all-new Prelude to arrive with a robust infotainment system, featuring at least a 9-inch touchscreen, a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and HondaLink connected services for remote vehicle access and information. In terms of pricing, the Prelude has always been one of Honda's premium products. In 2001, the last year it was sold in the United States, the base price (MSRP) of the base Honda Prelude was approximately $24,040 (the higher trim, the Prelude SH, started around $26,540). Honda has not released pricing for the new model, but most experts believe it will have a base price between $31,000 and $38,000—I'd wager towards the more expensive pricing, especially for a premium trim. In short, the all-new 2026 Honda Prelude will be larger, more comfortable, more powerful, more fuel-efficient, and equipped with far more advanced technology than its predecessor—making it a great value, even with a $10,000 price increase after 25 years.


Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business Wire
Faraday Future Founder and Co-CEO YT Jia Shares Weekly Investor Update: Company Has Received Over 10,000 Paid Pre-Orders for the FX Super One MPV as It Marks the 4th Anniversary of FFAI's Public Listi
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) ('Faraday Future', 'FF' or the 'Company'), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, today shared a weekly business update from YT Jia, Founder and Co-CEO of FF. 'This week marks the 4th anniversary of FFAI's public listing. Over the past four years, we've weathered countless ups and downs, pushed through our darkest hours, and stood firm in the face of doubts and challenges—never giving up. Above all, we are most grateful to the investors, stockholders, and partners who have stood by us. Your support is the reason our dream has never dimmed. As of the day of our July 17 Initial Product Launch of FX Super One, we have received over 10,000 paid pre-orders for this vehicle. Beyond the much-discussed Super EAI F.A.C.E., many people have asked me: what exactly are Super One's breakthroughs in product value for the U.S. market? To answer that, let's take a closer look at S2 and S3 Products & Technologies, where we've been carefully crafting. We've distilled five big breakthroughs in product value—these are what we believe give Super One its truly disruptive and differentiated edge in the U.S. market. First, it represents a whole new category—First Class EAI-MPV, addressing three key pain points for American users, including: Number one, traditional minivans may offer large interior space, but have poor power performance and safety, and offer no sense of luxury whatsoever. Number two, while the Escalade is luxurious, it's fundamentally constrained by its traditional, bulky SUV structure. This leads to a poor driving experience, inefficient use of space, and a compromised user experience overall. It's inconvenient to get in and out of and lacks the versatility for today's diverse lifestyles. Number three, let alone EAI capabilities, both of these vehicle types have almost zero AI capability and are stuck in a past era. We believe Super One is here to shatter old paradigms and deliver brand new value. Second, it is a vehicle EAI agent and an avatar of its owner. It redefines the human-vehicle relationship, moving from passive control to a partnership of mutual understanding and shared experience. It feels what you feel and accompanies where you go. Third, it delivers comprehensive intelligent active safety. Its high-strength steel body, electric AWD, and an AI risk prediction engine all work together to make every journey exceptionally safe and secure. Fourth, AI luxury and ultimate comfort like a private clubhouse, it breaks boundaries and sets new gold standards for luxury and comfort. Fifth, FF empowers the FX Super One with much of the core value of the $300,000 FF 91. With extreme price-to-performance ratio and running cost, it aims to bring accessible AI TechLuxury. S5: On capital markets and finance: After the July 17 launch, our Capital team organized a series of roadshows for investment institutions. We also had in-depth conversations with many investors online. A lot of investors are especially interested in our latest Web3 strategic partnership with HabitTrade, a well-known digital asset infrastructure platform. Many are excited about how FF, together with the Web3 industry, can once again generate eco chemistry and lead the next major trend in the industry. In fact, we've been researching and preparing in Web3 space for quite some time. We firmly believe that, with FF's unique AI and internet DNA, and by combining EAI mobility with Web3, blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and stablecoin applications, we can create entirely new value for users and the industry. We're building a future where Web2 and Web3, on-chain and off-chain, the physical and virtual worlds, all come together. We look forward to sharing these exciting plans and updates with you soon. Thank you to all our investors for your continued attention and support for FF and FX. We'll keep driving the company's growth with open and transparent communication. Today we're starting with Government affairs updates in terms of S7 System and Capability Build-Up. This week, we brought the FX Super One and FF 91 to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. There, we held high-level closed-door discussions with over a dozen U.S. Congress members and tariff policy makers. We talked about important topics such as reshoring U.S. manufacturing, technological innovation, and industry policies related to tariffs—efforts that support the implementation of the Global Automotive Industry Bridge Strategy. After experiencing both models in person, the Congress members were very impressed. We believe we will fill a key gap in the market, upgrading the American consumer experience, and helping accelerate the reshoring of manufacturing and the advancement of the entire industry chain. But really, after the FX Super One's initial launch, this is only the beginning. The next crucial steps will be product delivery, a series of certification tests, and trial production. I'll be leading the team to give it our all in this new chapter—continuing our relentless execution. In August, we'll also be taking the FX Super One to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the luxury car events. This fulfills the promise we made there last August, and we'll be sharing new outcomes from our bridge strategy. For us, attending Pebble Beach every year is not just about showcasing our products, it's about demonstrating our unwavering belief in making the impossible possible. We welcome friends and partners who are interested in joining us. See you next week.' ABOUT FARADAY FUTURE Faraday Future is a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company. Founded in 2014, the Company's mission is to disrupt the automotive industry by creating a user-centric, technology-first, and smart driving experience. Faraday Future's flagship model, the FF 91, exemplifies its vision for luxury, innovation, and performance. The FX strategy aims to introduce mass production models equipped with state-of-the-art luxury technology similar to the FF 91, targeting a broader market with middle-to-low price range offerings. FF is committed to redefining mobility through AI innovation. Join us in shaping the future of intelligent transportation. For more information, please visit FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes 'forward looking statements' within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words 'plan to,' 'can,' 'will,' 'should,' 'future,' 'potential,' and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding the Super One MPV, Super EAI F.A.C.E., and EAI Embodied AI Agent 6x4 architecture, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: the Company's ability to secure necessary agreements to license or produce FX vehicles in the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere, none of which have been secured; the Company's ability to homologate FX vehicles for sale in the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere; the Company's ability to secure the necessary funding to execute on its AI, EREV and Faraday X (FX) strategies, each of which will be substantial; the Company's ability to secure necessary permits at its Hanford, CA production facility; the Company's ability to secure regulatory approvals for the proposed Super One front grill; the potential impact of tariff policy; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company's ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company's limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company's history of losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company's payroll expense reduction plan; the Company's ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company's estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company's vehicles; the Company's ability to cover future warranty claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company's vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company's ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company's indebtedness; the Company's ability to cover future warranty claims; the Company's ability to use its 'at-the-market' program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company's products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company's dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company's stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the 'Risk Factors' section of the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC.


Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business Wire
Faraday Future Founder and Co-CEO YT Jia Shares Weekly Investor Update: Company Has Received Over 10,000 Paid Pre-Orders for the FX Super One MPV as It Marks the 4th Anniversary of FFAI's Public Listing
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) ('Faraday Future', 'FF' or the 'Company'), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, today shared a weekly business update from YT Jia, Founder and Co-CEO of FF. 'This week marks the 4th anniversary of FFAI's public listing. Over the past four years, we've weathered countless ups and downs, pushed through our darkest hours, and stood firm in the face of doubts and challenges—never giving up. Above all, we are most grateful to the investors, stockholders, and partners who have stood by us. Your support is the reason our dream has never dimmed. As of the day of our July 17 Initial Product Launch of FX Super One, we have received over 10,000 paid pre-orders for this vehicle. Beyond the much-discussed Super EAI F.A.C.E., many people have asked me: what exactly are Super One's breakthroughs in product value for the U.S. market? To answer that, let's take a closer look at S2 and S3 Products & Technologies, where we've been carefully crafting. We've distilled five big breakthroughs in product value—these are what we believe give Super One its truly disruptive and differentiated edge in the U.S. market. First, it represents a whole new category—First Class EAI-MPV, addressing three key pain points for American users, including: Number one, traditional minivans may offer large interior space, but have poor power performance and safety, and offer no sense of luxury whatsoever. Number two, while the Escalade is luxurious, it's fundamentally constrained by its traditional, bulky SUV structure. This leads to a poor driving experience, inefficient use of space, and a compromised user experience overall. It's inconvenient to get in and out of and lacks the versatility for today's diverse lifestyles. Number three, let alone EAI capabilities, both of these vehicle types have almost zero AI capability and are stuck in a past era. We believe Super One is here to shatter old paradigms and deliver brand new value. Second, it is a vehicle EAI agent and an avatar of its owner. It redefines the human-vehicle relationship, moving from passive control to a partnership of mutual understanding and shared experience. It feels what you feel and accompanies where you go. Third, it delivers comprehensive intelligent active safety. Its high-strength steel body, electric AWD, and an AI risk prediction engine all work together to make every journey exceptionally safe and secure. Fourth, AI luxury and ultimate comfort like a private clubhouse, it breaks boundaries and sets new gold standards for luxury and comfort. Fifth, FF empowers the FX Super One with much of the core value of the $300,000 FF 91. With extreme price-to-performance ratio and running cost, it aims to bring accessible AI TechLuxury. S5: On capital markets and finance: After the July 17 launch, our Capital team organized a series of roadshows for investment institutions. We also had in-depth conversations with many investors online. A lot of investors are especially interested in our latest Web3 strategic partnership with HabitTrade, a well-known digital asset infrastructure platform. Many are excited about how FF, together with the Web3 industry, can once again generate eco chemistry and lead the next major trend in the industry. In fact, we've been researching and preparing in Web3 space for quite some time. We firmly believe that, with FF's unique AI and internet DNA, and by combining EAI mobility with Web3, blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and stablecoin applications, we can create entirely new value for users and the industry. We're building a future where Web2 and Web3, on-chain and off-chain, the physical and virtual worlds, all come together. We look forward to sharing these exciting plans and updates with you soon. Thank you to all our investors for your continued attention and support for FF and FX. We'll keep driving the company's growth with open and transparent communication. Today we're starting with Government affairs updates in terms of S7 System and Capability Build-Up. This week, we brought the FX Super One and FF 91 to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. There, we held high-level closed-door discussions with over a dozen U.S. Congress members and tariff policy makers. We talked about important topics such as reshoring U.S. manufacturing, technological innovation, and industry policies related to tariffs—efforts that support the implementation of the Global Automotive Industry Bridge Strategy. After experiencing both models in person, the Congress members were very impressed. We believe we will fill a key gap in the market, upgrading the American consumer experience, and helping accelerate the reshoring of manufacturing and the advancement of the entire industry chain. But really, after the FX Super One's initial launch, this is only the beginning. The next crucial steps will be product delivery, a series of certification tests, and trial production. I'll be leading the team to give it our all in this new chapter—continuing our relentless execution. In August, we'll also be taking the FX Super One to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the luxury car events. This fulfills the promise we made there last August, and we'll be sharing new outcomes from our bridge strategy. For us, attending Pebble Beach every year is not just about showcasing our products, it's about demonstrating our unwavering belief in making the impossible possible. We welcome friends and partners who are interested in joining us. See you next week.' ABOUT FARADAY FUTURE Faraday Future is a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company. Founded in 2014, the Company's mission is to disrupt the automotive industry by creating a user-centric, technology-first, and smart driving experience. Faraday Future's flagship model, the FF 91, exemplifies its vision for luxury, innovation, and performance. The FX strategy aims to introduce mass production models equipped with state-of-the-art luxury technology similar to the FF 91, targeting a broader market with middle-to-low price range offerings. FF is committed to redefining mobility through AI innovation. Join us in shaping the future of intelligent transportation. For more information, please visit FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes 'forward looking statements' within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words 'plan to,' 'can,' 'will,' 'should,' 'future,' 'potential,' and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding the Super One MPV, Super EAI F.A.C.E., and EAI Embodied AI Agent 6x4 architecture, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: the Company's ability to secure necessary agreements to license or produce FX vehicles in the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere, none of which have been secured; the Company's ability to homologate FX vehicles for sale in the U.S., the Middle East, or elsewhere; the Company's ability to secure the necessary funding to execute on its AI, EREV and Faraday X (FX) strategies, each of which will be substantial; the Company's ability to secure necessary permits at its Hanford, CA production facility; the Company's ability to secure regulatory approvals for the proposed Super One front grill; the potential impact of tariff policy; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company's ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company's limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company's history of losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company's payroll expense reduction plan; the Company's ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company's estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company's vehicles; the Company's ability to cover future warranty claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company's vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company's ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company's indebtedness; the Company's ability to cover future warranty claims; the Company's ability to use its 'at-the-market' program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company's products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company's dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company's stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the 'Risk Factors' section of the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC.