LED vs. Halogen Headlights: What’s The Difference & Which Option Is Better?
Source: Pixabay
There are a lot more headlight options out there than there used to be. Vehicles are coming with different configurations of headlights, different kinds of light bulbs, and different colors and types of light.
All that means that there are a lot of options for consumers, which is a good thing, but also that it’s harder than ever to choose the right headlights for your needs, especially with some vehicles offering more than one type of headlight.
The Basics: LED vs. Halogen Headlights
Before you can decide whether halogen or LED headlights are right for you, you need to know a little bit about both types.
Halogens are the older headlights and they’re still slightly more common on the roads. Halogen lights are a little dimmer, tend to be more of a yellowish color, and produce more heat and less directed light than LED lights.
LEDs on the other hand, usually come in a bluish color but can also be in other colors. They’re brighter, but produce less heat so they need more protection in cold weather.
If you’ve seen these two different kinds of headlights on the road you might already have a preference for one over the other. There are a few different options out there in each type, which can help you get closer to the kind of headlight you need, but looking for a vehicle that offers halogen or LED is a good place to start.
Now that you know some of the basics, let’s talk about the pros and cons of each type, and how you can decide what type of headlights are right for you.
BE CERTAIN YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST DEAL
CoPilot searches your area and lets you know if there’s a better deal on a similar vehicle nearby, so you’re always certain you got the best deal possible. The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car.
LED Headlights: Pros And Cons
LED headlights are getting a lot more common on newer vehicles, and some of the most recent releases might not have halogen lights available. If you’re looking at a 2022 or 2021 model you’ll likely be choosing between different configurations of LED lights.
Here are the pros and cons you should consider if you’re looking at LED lights, or if you’re debating between LED lights and Halogen lights.
Pros:
- LED lights are brighter and offer better more targeted illumination that will show you more of the road, even on the darkest nights.
- The blue color of LED lights may help drivers stay awake at night.
- LED light bulbs last longer than Halogen and rarely need replacement.
- LED bulbs often offer more configuration options than Halogen.
- LED bulbs are more efficient and much less likely to drain your battery if accidentally left on.
- Increased energy efficiency also means that there’s more energy available for other systems and safety features.
Cons:
- LED lights are much more expensive to repair on the rare occasion that they need a repair.
- Too-bright lights can be a driving hazard and may contribute to declining eyesight in drivers.
- LED efficiency means that headlights may need separate heaters or wipes to keep ice and snow off the headlight – particularly at night.
As you can see, LED lights have several key advantages compared with halogen headlights, but they also have some serious drawbacks that should be considered.
However, some of the problems with LED lights are more on the legislature and manufacturers rather than individual drivers to address, light brightness and calibration requirements.
Halogen Headlights: Pros And Cons
Halogen lights are the older classic, and a lot of people don’t think about the pros and cons of halogen lights because they’re so used to how they work and how to deal with them.
However, now that there are options out there, it’s worth thinking about the pros and cons to see if halogen lights are right for you.
Here are the most important pros and cons of halogen headlights:
THE BEST CARS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
Whether you’re squeezing into a tight campus parking spot or hauling ten loads of laundry back home, these best cars for college students will get you, your friends, and your stuff where you’re going.
Pros:
- Halogen lights are what most people are used to, so they’re less likely to be a distraction or a hazard on the road
- Halogen lights are calibrated to avoid causing problems for other drivers in traffic, so they’re easier on your eyes compared with LED alternatives.
- Halogen lights produce their own heat, preventing headlight icing and making it easier to see in bad weather.
- Halogen lights are cheap to repair or replace, and bulb replacement can often be completed by the car owner at little cost.
Cons:
- Halogen lights are inefficient and use a lot of power, which means they’re more likely to drain your battery or cause other problems.
- Halogen lights don’t last as long as LED bulbs, and the bulbs need to be replaced significantly more often.
- Halogen light is softer and harder to direct, so you don’t get as much illumination from these bulbs.
You might have noticed that there are fewer big advantages to halogen lights, compared with LED, but there are also fewer serious downsides to the older technology. Part of that is because most people, and most car manufacturers, are used to both the pros and the cons of halogen lighting, so none of the advantages or disadvantages are as serious.
Both car design and driving styles are suited to halogen lighting, but we’re still adjusting to the newer LED headlights and their requirements.
That said, there’s certainly room for both styles of headlight on our roads. So, let’s talk about LED vs Halogen headlights and how you can choose which style of the headlight is right for you.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE YOUR BRAKES?
Unless you’re a mechanic or super-dedicated car enthusiast, you might not know much about the brakes on your car. How long do they typically last? How often should you replace your brakes? We’ve got answers
LED vs. Halogen Headlights: Which Is Right For You?
Choosing between LED and halogen lights can be difficult when you have the option. On the one hand, LED lights offer better illumination and work longer than Halogen lights do. On the other hand, a lot of drivers are irritated by the brighter light on the road, which can turn into a literal eyesore in traffic or when drivers forget to turn off their brights.
One of the best ways to decide which type of headlight is right for you is to think about where you drive and what kind of lighting you need where you drive.
For instance, if you live somewhere more isolated, LED lights make a lot of sense because having more illumination on the roads can be a good safety measure.
But if you live somewhere with a lot of traffic, or somewhere that tends to get a lot of colder icy weather, you may want to stick with halogen lights for now. That way you can avoid causing problems for other drivers, and don’t have to worry about ice or snow covering your headlights.
Ultimately, your choice of headlight is about what’s right for you more than anything else.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
