Find the right car headlight:

Seeing and being seen, that's not just crucial at celebrity events. When driving, good lighting makes you significantly safer on the road. You can see what lies ahead and brake in time when obstacles appear. Oncoming vehicles also notice you sooner and more clearly. Modern vehicles therefore rely on smart headlight design with advanced lighting technology.

At CARIFY, we explain the differences and what to consider when it comes to car headlights.

Types of Headlights

The most important aspect of headlights is a good light source. Initially, car headlights were simple lanterns or carbide lamps that provided little light. Later, manufacturers equipped their vehicles with incandescent bulbs that were brighter but burned out quickly. In the 1960s, single-filament halogen lamps replaced incandescent bulbs.

Even today, the upgraded dual-filament halogen lamp is standard in many car models, although in 1991, even brighter solutions hit the market with Xenon gas discharge lamps for headlights. More recently, LED and laser headlights have been introduced as additional lighting options for vehicles. We explain how each type of car headlight works.

Halogen Headlights

Halogen light sources belong to incandescent bulbs equipped with tungsten filaments. The added halogen iodine chemically reacts with the oxygen in the glass bulb and the tungsten filament, producing brighter light compared to conventional incandescent bulbs (22 lm/W compared to 12 to 15 lm/W).

Additionally, halogen light sources have a whiter light color. Halogen headlights have two filaments, one for low beam and one for high beam.

Xenon Headlights

In Xenon headlights, two tungsten electrodes generate bright light by creating an arc of light between them due to the discharge of the noble gas xenon. This is a type of gas discharge lamp. Bi-Xenon headlights are equipped with a shutter, allowing them to function as both low and high beams. The light is very bright (91 lm/W) and has a bluish tint.

LED Headlights

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, which are semiconductor devices emitting light when current passes through them. Unlike halogen and Xenon headlights, there is no chemical process involved here. They are twice as bright as halogen incandescent bulbs consuming the same amount of power. Since the integrated LED modules in modern headlights are electronically controlled, they provide excellent light geometry with good distribution and range, as well as glare-free high beams.

Coupled with a camera behind the windshield, the adaptive system provides predictive curve lighting. Expensive LED headlights are only available as standard in a few car models. Retrofitting is currently prohibited in the EU and Switzerland. However, in Germany, approved Night Breaker LEDs from Osram are available for certain vehicle models, although they are only permitted for off-road use in Switzerland.

You must absolutely avoid so-called retrofits that are available for purchase online. They are not approved anywhere, have lower light output, and pose a significant glare risk.

Laser Headlights

The use of laser technology for car headlights is very new and not widely spread. Tiny laser diodes emit beams that react with phosphor luminescent material in the headlight. The resulting light points are four times brighter than LEDs and provide maximum light in a small space with a pleasant, pure white color. The range also doubles. Currently, lasers are only used for high beam in LED headlights of high-end vehicles.

Choosing the Right Headlights

Now that you've learned about the functioning and light output of currently used car headlights, you might be wondering if investing in expensive solutions is worth it. Did you know that a kilowatt-hour in a car costs around 1 CHF at current fuel prices? It's time to factor this in when choosing headlights. We've taken a closer look for you and present the facts about the performance, energy efficiency, lifespan, and price of different models.

Halogen Headlights

They are the most budget-friendly among available car headlights. That's why you'll find them as standard equipment in most vehicles. However, they provide the least bright light and convert the majority of energy into heat. They are quite inefficient, which is a relevant factor nowadays. Lifespan is also lacking: the light sources need to be replaced quite often.

• Light Output: 1,500 lm

• Energy Consumption per Hour: 55 W

• Lifespan: about 450 h

• Price per Headlight: between 80 and 250 CHF

Xenon Headlights

Xenon headlights have a significantly lower energy consumption, higher light output, and longer lifespan compared to halogen headlights. However, they are also much more expensive, so the investment needs careful consideration. Another downside is the bluish light, which can be blinding for oncoming drivers.

• Light Output: 3,200 lm

• Energy Consumption per Hour: 25 to 35 W

• Lifespan: about 3,000 h

• Price per Headlight: between 500 and 2,500 CHF

LED Headlights

Brighter, more efficient, and safer – the future likely belongs to LED headlights. Adaptive models even provide a light beam adapted to the road's curve. The longer lifespan is balanced by a higher purchase price, which can be justified considering LEDs' efficiency. Drawback: Retrofitting is prohibited in Switzerland, and there aren't many vehicle models with factory-installed LED headlights yet. Additionally, in case of a defect, the entire headlight often needs to be replaced.

• Light Output: 3,000 lm

• Energy Consumption per Hour: 6 to 9 W

• Lifespan: at least 15 years, often lifelong

• Price per Headlight: 700 to 4,800 CHF depending on vehicle class and model

Laser Headlights

Responsive and less prone to errors, these are the latest headlights using laser technology. The impressive light output and efficient consumption come at a cost. As of now, lasers are only used for high beams in LED headlights, making repairing defective laser headlights a challenge.

• Light Output: 70% more than LED

• Energy Consumption per Hour: 50% less than LED

• Lifespan: 20,000 to over 100,000 h

• Price: around 4,800 CHF

CARIFY's Top 5 Cars with the Best Headlight Quality

With a CARIFY car subscription, you always get a vehicle with impeccable lighting because we want you to be safe on the road.

That's why most of our cars come with LED headlights. Even for vehicles with halogen and Xenon headlights, our excellent service with local garages throughout Switzerland ensures you're always on the road in the best light. With these five car subscriptions, you secure our best headlights:

• Volvo XC60 – The Swedish SUV is one of the most popular vehicles at CARIFY. You get it with LED headlights from us.

• Mercedes-Benz E 220 – One of our most popular sedans is, of course, equipped with LED headlights.

• VW Golf – Whether compact or in the wagon variant, you drive this popular model with bright LEDs.

• Nissan Qashqai – A safe journey with bright LED light is promised by this SUV from a Japanese manufacturer.

• VW Caddy – Even some of Volkswagen's commercial vehicles provide optimal visibility at night with LED headlights.

Conclusion

All presented headlight models have their advantages and disadvantages – but they fulfill their purpose. However, your headlights must not blind vehicles in front of you or oncoming traffic, as Xenon headlights often do.

With good LED headlights, you are safer at night and in bad weather, and they also save fuel costs. Besides light output and range, energy efficiency plays a role. Adaptive LED headlights adjust their light beam to the road's curve. This prepares you for all visibility conditions and road layouts. At CARIFY, you can find cars of all price ranges and sizes with LED headlights.

FAQs:

What types of headlights are there?

By default, new cars mostly come with budget-friendly halogen headlights. More durable, brighter, and efficient, Xenon headlights stand out, although their blue light often causes glare for other road users. This is why LED headlights are becoming more popular. Their pleasant and bright light has greater range without causing glare. Along with their long lifespan, they are particularly economical. The newest development in headlights is combined LED low beams with laser high beams. These laser headlights illuminate twice as far as LED high beams and consume less power. However, they are expensive and currently available for only a few car models.

How much does a car headlight cost?

It depends on the car model and the chosen headlight type. The cheapest halogen headlights start at around 80 CHF per piece. The most expensive are laser headlights, costing around 4,500 CHF per piece. Generally, you should weigh price, lifespan, energy efficiency, and safety. If you want to invest in safety, consider the extra cost for LED headlights. Retrofitting is not allowed in Switzerland.

Can headlights be polished?

Cloudy or yellowed headlight lenses scatter light poorly, but you don't need to replace the entire headlight right away. You can easily remove dirt with glass cleaner. If the headlight is still cloudy, you can polish the glass. However, it's best to leave this work to a professional. Garage experts can quickly determine whether polishing with special sandpaper and subsequent application of protective coating is possible. This depends on the headlight and the condition of the protective layer on the glass. Cracks and holes cannot be repaired. The professionals at the garage will also readjust the lights optimally. The service costs between 20 and 40 CHF per headlight, making it quite affordable.