Headlight performance

[PHEVer]

Is anyone else disappointed with our headlight performance? I feel like the luminosity is equivalent to halogens, but with cooler temperature. I installed fog lights to supplement, and it does a great job, but there is too much glare...so much so, I am afraid to turn them on! Any other suggestions?

 

[jdonalds]

I'm very disappointed with the headlights. The low beams are okay but the high beams are inadequate. The Prius was far better.

We need to watch for deer but the high beams are just too weak.

 

[PHEV Newbie]

It could be me but they seem worse in the rain than my Subaru (HID headlights). I'm disappointed because the salesman made a point of how bright the LED headlights will be. I was excited to get them since LED headlights are only found in the highest trims of many makes.

 

[iluvscuba]

How bad is the headlight? Is it the headlight or the high beam? Is it the intensity or is it the beam angle?

 

[descolado]

I live in South Florida and find the headlights are more than adequate for my driving. Compared to the Mazda 3 they are as bright, and the LED design unique to our vehicles makes for a great fog light.

 

[Ken7]

Yeah, they’re not great. There’s very little difference between the high beams and low beams. I can’t recall seeing such a small delta between the two intensities in other cars I’ve driven. I even find myself wishing for a higher luminosity in the low beams. Those are just ‘adequate’.

 

[KentuckyKen]

I too am very dissatisfied with our wimpy headlights. High beams add hardly any extra distance and the low means seem to put too much light close to the car and not further down the road like all other cars I have owned.
The ultimate indictment of these underpowered headlights is the fact that I left the highbeams on and on a four lane divided highway no one flashed their beams at me!!!
Going in for service on some minor issues on Tues and am asking dealer to check headlight alignment because I think mine are aimed too low. This won’t help the high beams but may help my low beams. Or maybe can’t be done or it will make high beams point up too much. Will find out and post results here.

 

[KentuckyKen]

PHEVer, are your fog lights Honda part or after market and could you give us a pix of them to show where they are located? Also do they turn on w headlights or do you have to switch them on each time? I may have to go this route

 

[PHEVer]

It's the online car review that got me on the headlights. They said they are super bright. Baaahhh. So coming from HIDs since 2000 and then prius LEDs more recently, I was optimistic. Anyways, I purchased aftermarket (Diode Dynamics ss6's wide lens) as this car doesn't have any native fog light option. I installed them behind lower grill. I figured, if I ever need to remove them, there will be no apparent damage/mods to the car. They come on with switch when car is turned on. It's pretty easy to connect them to headlights, if you want to, but I personally didn't want to tamper with/tap into the headlight wiring. Also, they are advertised as being street legal as fog ights due to it's beam pattern (if aimed correctly). Here are some pics

 

[PHEVer]

ground illumination pictures:
Roads here are dark, so the pictures with the dark pavement are accurate to what I see. If you look at the wall, you can see a bit of glare when fogs are on, but it's worse in real life.


Headlight + Fogs:

Headlights only:

Headlights only:

Headlight+Fogs:

Reflection off white pavement look really good, but unfornately, that's not real world driving, unless your roads are light colored.

Headlight + Fogs:

Headlights only:

 

[PHEVer]

Here is one more picture of fog lights only. They alone can serve as headlights - they are that bright! But check out the glare!

 

[KentuckyKen]

PHEVer, thanks for the pix. This may be my next mod to take care of our wimpy headlights. Can you tell me how much they cost. Just parts; I’ll put them in.

 

[KentuckyKen]

Best price I found is $160. Is that a good price?
Thanks again for sharing this so I can make an informed decision.

 

[loomis2]

That looks really good. It fits with the overall look, like they are supposed to be there. Nice job.

 

[PHEVer]

Yeah, $160 is the only price from a few sights. I purchased from The Retrofit Source (they have 10% off now, I think) : https://www.theretrofitsource.com/6-ss6-stage-series-white-light-bar.html

The discount code pops up every now and then on my facebook news feeds, but can't see it now.
I also purchased a wiring harness from Diode Dyanamics website directly for $20. You can get generics for cheaper from Amazon. I opted for Diode Dynamics light duty wiring, with no relay built in. DDs said the harness is more than sufficient since the lights are low draw. The switch is rated well above the lights current draw, so I think he is correct.

Let me warn you though...it's not a straight install. I had to buy various parts and improvise along the way.

 

[iluvscuba]

Can I get a confirmation that for all those that are disappointed in the Clarity headlight, you are comparing with more powerful HID type light? What about comparing with cheaper car with regular yellow headlight, is it better then?
I am asking as I have only have cars that use those cheapo yellow headlight and in wet pavement, it is almost useless so if it is an improvement, I will be ok with that

 

[jdonalds]

Whatever the 2015 Prius One had. Those high beams were awesome. The Clarity high beams are just a little better than the low beams.

 

[Louis Nisenbaum]

In government testing the 2017 Honda Accord with projector headlights tested higher than the more expensive Accord Touring with the LED headlights. Always assumed LED would be the best.

 

[PHEVer]

Can I get a confirmation that for all those that are disappointed in the Clarity headlight, you are comparing with more powerful HID type light?

I am comparing with HIDs and LEDs from my prior cars (2009 and 2013 Prius).
I had projector halogens in my Pacifica Hybrid and they stunk! But when it rained, I felt it easier to see the road with halogens....that's my perception, at least.

 

[dstrauss]

The "high beams" are a misnomer - very poor illumination, especially on dark roads away from city lights - very little additional coverage to pick up deer or other animals lurking on the side of the road (Texas Hill Country).