Lots to read and I hope this is of some value to our members.
Two articles from C&P from Consumer Reprts.org:
Sylvania Silvestar halogen headlight bulbs
Higher-priced lights shine more brightly but not farther
Consumer Reports magazine: January 2013
A website touting the Sylvania SilverStar headlight bulb says it provides "up to 30 percent" greater visibility down the road. That sounds impressive until you read the fine print: "compared with worn standard halogen" bulbs. Still, such claims are making premium-priced halogen bulbs an alluring choice for drivers.
To see how those premium bulbs stack up against one another, we put eight of them, costing $20 to $80, through a range of tests in our labs and at our test track. We tested the low-beam performance of single-filament (9003) and dual-filament (H7) bulbs from GE, Hella, Philips, and Sylvania, and PIAA's dual-filament bulb. We also compared their performance with that of two standard bulbs from GE and Helio, costing $20 and $10, respectively, and to the original-equipment (OE) bulbs that came in our 2012 Hyundai Accent and Volkswagen Passat test cars.
We found that the premium bulbs, as a group, deliver a whiter light and up to 19 percent more output than the standard or OE bulbs, and that can be more pleasing for drivers. But none of the premium bulbs allowed us to see farther on our headlight test course than the standard or OE bulbs. That's because distance is determined more by the size and shape of the lamp's reflector or lens than by the bulb. We also found little difference in light output among the premium bulbs; no more than the differences normally experienced from power fluctuations while driving.
*****
*****
Bottom line. Premium bulbs might be a good choice if you prefer a more intense or whiter light, but don't expect big changes in the distance you can see compared with standard or new OE bulbs. For the premium bulbs we tested, shop by price.
The illumination of any bulb fades with time, so we suggest replacing your bulbs every few years, not waiting until one burns out. We don't advise mixing premium and standard bulbs. Output can also decrease if lamp lenses become hazy or dirty. Have them cleaned by a professional or do it yourself with a product such as the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit, which costs about $20. Check out our buying guide to headlight-restoration kits for more information.
What we tested
Headlights appear in alphabetical order (performance among bulbs was similar).
Product
Bulb type
Price
GE Nighthawk
9003/H7
$25
GE Nighthawk Platinum
9003/H7
40
Hella
9003/H7
35
Philips CrystalVision Ultra
9003/H7
25
Philips VisionPlus
9003/H7
20
PIAA Xtreme White Plus
H7
80
Sylvania SilverStar
9003/H7
30
Sylvania SilverStar Ultra
9003/H7
40
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AND:
Are HID and LED Headlights Worth Buying?
Brighter lights might not necessarily let you see farther down the road
By Jen Stockburger
November 03, 2017
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.
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.
But 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.
In its ongoing headlight tests, Consumer Reports has seen an increase in cars equipped with these technologies. But do these brighter, whiter HID/xenon and LED headlights help you see any better when you're driving? The answer: Not necessarily.
MORE ON CAR TECHNOLOGY & SAFETY
The Positive Impact of Advanced Safety Systems for Cars
Cars With Advanced Safety Systems
Winter Driving Survival Guide
There is no clear-cut, standout technology winner among among HID, LED, and xenon headlights. While there are poor and very good performers in each variety, none produces greater forward-seeing distances than the others. Based on our testing, the differences depend on the car, not the headlight technology.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety agrees. "In IIHS testing, LEDs and HIDs typically perform better than halogens, and projector lenses do better than reflector designs," says Matt Brumbelow, a senior research engineer at IIHS. "Unfortunately, there are many exceptions, so consumers can't [choose] a specific headlight system and be guaranteed that they'll get good performance on the road."
Shining a Light on CR Test Results
The main criteria in Consumer Reports' headlight ratings is safety, meaning how well they allow a driver to see what's ahead. 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.
Low-beam visibility counts the most in our ratings, since people drive with low beams on most often. 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. 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.
For 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. Conversely, the 2018 Audi Q5 with LED lights rated only a Fair overall, as its low-beam seeing distances are short.
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.
Best Headlight Performance
Our ratings for headlight performance on recent vehicle models also illustrate how performance cannot be predicted by the technology alone. Your best bet is to check our new-car ratings—and to be wary of paying extra for a headlight upgrade.
Each of the vehicles below scored an Excellent or a Very Good overall for its headlight performance; they rank in order as the top 10 among those we've tested over the last five years.
VEHICLE
LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHT TYPE
HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHT TYPE
2015 Cadillac Escalade LED LED
2014 Toyota Corolla LED Halogen
2013 Toyota Avalon HID Halogen
2012 Acura TL HID Halogen
2012 Fiat 500 Halogen Halogen
2016 Honda HR-V Halogen Halogen
2012 Nissan Versa Halogen Halogen
2017 Chevrolet Bolt HID HID
2012 Toyota Prius V Halogen Halogen
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Halogen Halogen
As our years of test results show, there are good and bad performers across all types.
The key takeaway is not to assume one technology is superior to another. This is especially important when considering a model whose headlights are part of a pricey package. Before being drawn to the bright, white light that HID, LED, and xenon lamps produce, check our ratings, available on the models pages for all tested vehicles.
Two articles from C&P from Consumer Reprts.org:
Sylvania Silvestar halogen headlight bulbs
Higher-priced lights shine more brightly but not farther
Consumer Reports magazine: January 2013
A website touting the Sylvania SilverStar headlight bulb says it provides "up to 30 percent" greater visibility down the road. That sounds impressive until you read the fine print: "compared with worn standard halogen" bulbs. Still, such claims are making premium-priced halogen bulbs an alluring choice for drivers.
To see how those premium bulbs stack up against one another, we put eight of them, costing $20 to $80, through a range of tests in our labs and at our test track. We tested the low-beam performance of single-filament (9003) and dual-filament (H7) bulbs from GE, Hella, Philips, and Sylvania, and PIAA's dual-filament bulb. We also compared their performance with that of two standard bulbs from GE and Helio, costing $20 and $10, respectively, and to the original-equipment (OE) bulbs that came in our 2012 Hyundai Accent and Volkswagen Passat test cars.
We found that the premium bulbs, as a group, deliver a whiter light and up to 19 percent more output than the standard or OE bulbs, and that can be more pleasing for drivers. But none of the premium bulbs allowed us to see farther on our headlight test course than the standard or OE bulbs. That's because distance is determined more by the size and shape of the lamp's reflector or lens than by the bulb. We also found little difference in light output among the premium bulbs; no more than the differences normally experienced from power fluctuations while driving.
*****
*****
Bottom line. Premium bulbs might be a good choice if you prefer a more intense or whiter light, but don't expect big changes in the distance you can see compared with standard or new OE bulbs. For the premium bulbs we tested, shop by price.
The illumination of any bulb fades with time, so we suggest replacing your bulbs every few years, not waiting until one burns out. We don't advise mixing premium and standard bulbs. Output can also decrease if lamp lenses become hazy or dirty. Have them cleaned by a professional or do it yourself with a product such as the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit, which costs about $20. Check out our buying guide to headlight-restoration kits for more information.
What we tested
Headlights appear in alphabetical order (performance among bulbs was similar).
Product
Bulb type
Price
GE Nighthawk
9003/H7
$25
GE Nighthawk Platinum
9003/H7
40
Hella
9003/H7
35
Philips CrystalVision Ultra
9003/H7
25
Philips VisionPlus
9003/H7
20
PIAA Xtreme White Plus
H7
80
Sylvania SilverStar
9003/H7
30
Sylvania SilverStar Ultra
9003/H7
40
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AND:
Are HID and LED Headlights Worth Buying?
Brighter lights might not necessarily let you see farther down the road
By Jen Stockburger
November 03, 2017
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.
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.
But 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.
In its ongoing headlight tests, Consumer Reports has seen an increase in cars equipped with these technologies. But do these brighter, whiter HID/xenon and LED headlights help you see any better when you're driving? The answer: Not necessarily.
MORE ON CAR TECHNOLOGY & SAFETY
The Positive Impact of Advanced Safety Systems for Cars
Cars With Advanced Safety Systems
Winter Driving Survival Guide
There is no clear-cut, standout technology winner among among HID, LED, and xenon headlights. While there are poor and very good performers in each variety, none produces greater forward-seeing distances than the others. Based on our testing, the differences depend on the car, not the headlight technology.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety agrees. "In IIHS testing, LEDs and HIDs typically perform better than halogens, and projector lenses do better than reflector designs," says Matt Brumbelow, a senior research engineer at IIHS. "Unfortunately, there are many exceptions, so consumers can't [choose] a specific headlight system and be guaranteed that they'll get good performance on the road."
Shining a Light on CR Test Results
The main criteria in Consumer Reports' headlight ratings is safety, meaning how well they allow a driver to see what's ahead. 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.
Low-beam visibility counts the most in our ratings, since people drive with low beams on most often. 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. 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.
For 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. Conversely, the 2018 Audi Q5 with LED lights rated only a Fair overall, as its low-beam seeing distances are short.
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.
Best Headlight Performance
Our ratings for headlight performance on recent vehicle models also illustrate how performance cannot be predicted by the technology alone. Your best bet is to check our new-car ratings—and to be wary of paying extra for a headlight upgrade.
Each of the vehicles below scored an Excellent or a Very Good overall for its headlight performance; they rank in order as the top 10 among those we've tested over the last five years.
VEHICLE
LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHT TYPE
HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHT TYPE
2015 Cadillac Escalade LED LED
2014 Toyota Corolla LED Halogen
2013 Toyota Avalon HID Halogen
2012 Acura TL HID Halogen
2012 Fiat 500 Halogen Halogen
2016 Honda HR-V Halogen Halogen
2012 Nissan Versa Halogen Halogen
2017 Chevrolet Bolt HID HID
2012 Toyota Prius V Halogen Halogen
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Halogen Halogen
As our years of test results show, there are good and bad performers across all types.
The key takeaway is not to assume one technology is superior to another. This is especially important when considering a model whose headlights are part of a pricey package. Before being drawn to the bright, white light that HID, LED, and xenon lamps produce, check our ratings, available on the models pages for all tested vehicles.
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