Headlights Still Largely Suck, Just Not As Much As Last Year

A collective groan must have echoed through the automotive industry a couple of years back, after the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety began testing headlight performance. Early results showed that most headlights, even those on expensive vehicles, fell well short of optimal performance. Most fell short of acceptable performance.

Since then, improvements have begun — slowly, but surely. It’s in an automaker’s best interest to slap a couple of bright peepers on the front of their vehicles from a PR and marketing perspective, but there’s cost issues to be considered. Still, no vehicle can take home that coveted Top Safety Pick+ rating without good headlights.

In its 2018 testing, some 32 models offered standard or available headlights worthy of a “good” rating. That’s out of 165 models.

Not a great ratio, though it’s better than in 2016, when just two out of 95 models offered good headlights. The writer can’t help but notice that his personal vehicle is not among these top-ranked 2018 models, but that doesn’t come as a shock — headlight performance took a backseat to MSRP reduction when he walked into his local GM dealer.

This year, the best-available headlights on 58 new cars rate an “acceptable” rating, which is the institute’s version of “sorta good” or “pretty alright.” Compared to 2016, the number of new vehicles with headlights (of all types) rating a “poor” is just over 25 percent, down from nearly 50 percent. Those with available lights rating “good” climb to a tiny fraction to roughly 20 percent.

While that sounds like impressive progress, of the 424 separate headlight systems among the 195 models, 67 percent earned a rating of marginal or poor. Just because a fancy LED unit is available on an upper trim level, or as part of a pricey package, doesn’t mean drivers are going to drive away with those lamps leading the way. Two-thirds of all new headlamps still blow. Meanwhile, the IIHS isn’t pleased that the majority of drivers are faced with significant additional costs in order to get into a safer vehicle.

Of this diverse group of contestants, just two models carry “good” headlights at every trim level. Those models are the Genesis G90 and Lexus NX. Remember, it’s not just overall dimness working against a headlamp’s rating — there’s also glare for oncoming drivers to be considered. Some 21 models manage to not fall below an “acceptable” rating in base or high-zoot trim. These models include the two aforementioned vehicles, as well as the Chevrolet Volt, Genesis G80, Toyota Camry, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which carry good headlights on upper trims and acceptable ones at lower price points.

The rest of the high-ranked group, carrying only acceptable lamps, include four Acuras (MDX, RDX, TLX, and old-generation RLX), BMW’s X2 and X5, the Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Tesla Model 3, five Toyotas (Corolla, Highlander, Prius, Prius Prime, Sienna), and the Volvo XC60.

At the bottom of the list are 43 2018 models that only rate a “poor,” regardless of trim or headlight choice. Among its members are a model that saw a complete overhaul for 2019 (Chevrolet’s Silverado 1500 crew and extended cab), one that’s already dead (Volkswagen Tiguan Limited), and six more destined for the grave (Ford Taurus and Fusion, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac ATS and CTS).

While we won’t list them all, here’s a selection of worst offenders: Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Ford F-150 crew and extended cab), all three Honda Civic bodystyles, Chevrolet Bolt, Malibu, and Colorado, Dodge Charger, GMC Terrain and Canyon, Jeep Renegade, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota C-HR.

Oh, and the Hyundai Accent, as well as the Volkswagen Passat. Then there’s the Infiniti QX60. And the Kia Niro Plug-in, Honda Fit, Ford Edge and Explorer, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Dodge Journey and Grand Caravan, Fiat 500X, Chrysler 300, Audi Q3, Toyota 4Runner, and Toyota Yaris iA.

Hey, look — we did list them all.

[Image: Ford, Lexus, Honda]