May require special retrofitting and additional componentsĪs the newest headlights on the market, LED headlights are more efficient and advanced than both halogen and HID lights. Not to mention, xenon lights cost considerably more than halogen headlights.īrighter, whiter light than halogen headlights HID lights also require special retrofitting to be used in cars previously wired for halogen lights, and they need an additional component to operate (a ballast) which can create a potential point of failure and drain energy. Though helpful for the one behind the wheel, the added brightness of xenon bulbs can create an abundance of glare, effectively “blinding” other drivers. These headlights require far more power than halogens when first turned on, but they use much less to maintain their brightness once fully lit. This process allows them to emit bright, far-reaching white light at around 6000K with less heat than their halogen alternatives. HID headlights work by sending a high-voltage electric current between two tungsten electrodes housed inside a quartz tube filled with xenon gas. Xenon headlights are a kind of HID (high-intensity discharge) light. Halogen headlights are easy to identify, shining a small amount of yellow light in a color temperature of around 3200K on the road directly in front of the vehicle. Halogen headlights produce a significant amount of heat, and it is vitally important to exercise caution when handling them-even a small amount of skin contact on the bulb during replacement can affect their performance. Similar to incandescent lights, halogens use a heated tungsten filament to produce light, except the filament is encased in a bubble of halogen gas to improve performance and longevity. So which type of headlight is best for your car, and what are the differences between them? Halogenĭating back to the mid-1960s, halogen headlights were some of the earliest automotive headlights, and they are still used in the majority of cars today. While color and light quality are the most visible characteristics of these lights, there are still many more pros and cons worth considering before making a purchasing decision. With older cars, you may not have much choice in the matter but with newer cars, you probably have a few options, namely halogen, xenon (HID), or LED headlights. Even after you’ve finally found the bulb you need, perhaps using our site's nifty bulb finder feature, you still need to choose the appropriate technology. Our ratings of two Limited trim 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees-one diesel, one gas-showed nearly identical overall headlight performance, even though one was equipped with high-intensity discharge xenon lights and the other with halogens.Replacing your vehicle’s headlights can be a painstaking process. Conversely, the 2018 Audi Q5 with LED lights rated only a Fair overall, as its low-beam seeing distances are short. While HIDs and LEDs are typically brighter and often illuminate better to the sides of the road, the straight-ahead visibility differences vary in our tests.įor example, the 2016 Buick Envision equipped with halogen lights earned a Good overall score for its headlight performance, driven mainly by the low-beam seeing distance. Aspects such as headlight brightness and a uniform pattern of light that make the headlight more pleasing also factor in to our ratings, but to a lesser extent. Low-beam visibility counts the most in our ratings, since people drive with low beams on most often. Testing takes place on dark, moonless nights at our track, where experienced staff assess how well they can see a series of flat, black signs arranged in specific locations on our track with both low and high beams. The main criteria in Consumer Reports' headlight ratings is safety, meaning how well they allow a driver to see what's ahead. But do these brighter, whiter HID/xenon and LED headlights help you see any better when you're driving? The answer: Not necessarily. In its ongoing headlight tests, Consumer Reports has seen an increase in cars equipped with these technologies. These high-tech headlights have become a signature look of aftermarket upgrades, and they distinguish the styling on many new vehicles, in particular cars with LED headlights, which can be grouped in signature looks. Many models from Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and others are equipped with these stylish headlights.īut as appealing as these headlights can be to people whose car is equipped with them, they can be a discomfort to other drivers, who might flash their lights, mistakenly thinking that the other driver's high beams are on even when they're not. You can't help but notice high-intensity discharge (HID/xenon) and light-emitting diode (LED) headlights-the light they produce is noticeably brighter and whiter than halogen headlights.
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