How Xenon and LED Headlights Differ
Not only do different cars have different headlight styles, but they often also have varying types of headlights. If you’re on the hunt for a new car, chances are you’ve heard the terms xenon and LED headlights. Here’s a closer look at how these headlight types burn differently.
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Intensely bright
Xenon headlights are filled with gas and emit a bright light while being energy efficient. You might hear them referred to as a high-intensity discharge or HID light, too.
“Xenon lights are fairly common in luxury vehicles you see on the road today. However, they are popular for those who want to install them themselves. One reason why xenon lights have gained in popularity is due to their extreme brightness. It’s often brighter than both an LED light and a standard headlight,” according to Autotrader writers Doug Demuro and Austin Morris.
Since xenon headlights consume a lot of energy to produce such an intense, bright light, their lifespan is typically shorter compared to a LED headlights.
Energy-efficient light
Light-emitting diode or LED lights use less energy to create a bright, energy-efficient light. Although they are newer to the market, they will illuminate your drive longer and better than xenon headlights.
“The small size means many of these little lights can go into one headlight lamp, giving a better overall illumination of the road. They are easy to install, and they come in multiple colors, giving drivers the ability to customize their headlights,” according to Demuro and Morris.
Although you’ll need more LED lightbulbs than xenon, their longevity can make the higher price worth it.
In addition to their durability, LED headlights offer a warmer light and a wider coverage area than xenon headlights, depending on the number of LEDs in the vehicle’s lighting system.
It isn’t easy to determine what type of light is better in terms of safety since there are several factors to consider when evaluating headlight performance.
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“LEDs generally perform better than other types in the IIHS test, but equipping a vehicle with either LEDs or xenon lights doesn’t mean they will receive the highest score or outperform halogen headlights,” according to Cars.com writer Rick Popely.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.