Halogen lights, the oldest and most common type of car headlight, have a tungsten filament housed inside a quartz envelope filled with halogen gas.Each of these developments has brought distinct benefits, and understanding these can significantly influence your choice of headlights. From simple halogen lights, we’ve advanced to high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, and now, to LED and beyond. The evolution of headlamp technology has been quite fascinating. This primer will aid you in comprehending the intricate world of car headlights, drawing your attention to the most innovative and efficient headlight technologies in the market. Understanding the Basics: Headlight Technologiesīefore diving into the specifics of HID and Halogen headlights, it’s crucial to shed light on the basic technologies used in automotive lighting. Laser headlights are the newest innovation in headlight technology, offering improved visibility and longer range, but they come with a higher cost and require careful adjustment to prevent blinding oncoming traffic.LED headlights are even more efficient and long-lasting than HID lights, making them a desirable option for retrofitting vehicles.Incandescent halogen headlights are cost-effective and easy to use, but they are not as bright or focused as HID headlights.HID headlights are more efficient and longer-lasting than halogen headlights, but they require a warm-up period to reach full brightness.So, are you ready to shed some light on this illuminating topic? Key Takeaways
In our Headlight HID Vs Halogen guide, we’ll help you make the best choice for your vehicle, your driving needs, and understand the ins and outs of these two popular headlight technologies. The Editorial department is independent of ’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.Did you know that both LED and HID headlights can last up to three times longer than their halogen equivalents? That’s just one of many factors to consider when comparing HID and halogen headlights.Īs you navigate through the world of vehicle illumination, you’ll find that each type of headlight has its unique advantages and disadvantages, from brightness and durability to cost and energy efficiency. In line with ’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. However, only LEDs have earned good ratings.Ĭars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. Some halogens have been rated acceptable (the second-highest), and some LED headlights as marginal (second-lowest) and even poor. IIHS says LEDs generally perform better in its tests, but the organization has rated some halogen headlights higher than some LEDs. Headlights rated poor (the lowest) light 220 feet or less. IIHS says that on a straight road, low-beam headlights rated good (the top rating) illuminate the right side of the road at least 325 feet. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates headlights based on the distance that they illuminate the road as a vehicle travels straight and on curves. Whether the light comes from a halogen or high-intensity-discharge bulb or LEDs, the design of the headlight assembly and the reflectors - the parts that shine the light down the road - also affects performance, along with how well the headlights are aimed. The downside is that they are more expensive than halogens or high-intensity-discharge headlights, which typically use xenon gas. LEDs also typically don’t burn out like incandescent bulbs, though they do dim over time.īecause LEDs are smaller than bulb-type lights, they allow more design freedom with headlights and other vehicle lights. LEDs operate about 90% more efficiently than incandescent bulbs, and because they generate less heat, that helps them last much longer than other types of lights. With LEDs, an electric current passes through a semiconductor (or diode) to produce light that is brighter and generates less heat. Halogen bulbs are brighter than regular incandescent bulbs and tend to last longer. They differ from regular incandescent bulbs in that they have a dose of halogen gas instead of argon gas. When electric current passes through the filament, it heats up and generates light. Here’s how they’re different: Halogens are incandescent lights that have a tungsten filament inside a bulb. Halogen headlights were the standard for the auto industry for years because they were cheap to manufacture and simple to replace, but now LEDs are outshining them. What’s more, a lot of people think they look cool. LEDs appeal to automakers and consumers for several reasons: They’re brighter than halogen headlights and often cast a wider pattern, plus they use less energy, last longer and have a much whiter color than halogens, which typically are yellowish. View all 2020 Hyundai Palisade models for sale near 60606