If you have little or no idea about headlights, it can be quite cumbersome to tell whether they’re halogen or xenon. Can you tell if it’s one of them, but get confused when it comes to identifying the other? Then, this article is written for you. We’ll help you in the area of giving an answer to the question — How Do I Know If My Headlights Are Halogen Or Xenon? — and even more.

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How Do I Know If My Headlights Are Halogen Or Xenon?

Turn your car on, turn the high beams on, stand in front of one headlight and stare straight into it for 10 seconds. If you are only partially blind, it’s a halogen. If you are completely blind, it’s xenon.

What Are The Different Types Of Headlights?

When it has to do with the area of choosing a used or new vehicle, what comes into the mind of most drivers out there are things such as fuel efficiency, style, infotainment, safety features, powertrain, space, and more. Generally, people consider the listed features as “make-or-break” features — used by those drivers who have an idea, a definite idea, of the exact thing they want. Other features might not really be as coveted as the features mentioned in some sentences ago, but they still play a role — as regards giving an outstanding outlook of the vehicle.

Speaking of those other features, we have headlights as one of them. What makes the difference between good and bad headlights is seeing and not seeing respectively. You should have it in mind that you wouldn’t find much clarity regarding the different types of headlights you can find in the market, and their distinct advantages over one another, so we’ll take the burden upon ourselves to help.

At this point, let’s delve into the various types of headlights.

1. Standard Headlights

The Standard Headlights came into existence when the very first automobiles were able to roll out their production line into some kind of garage — monocied aristocrats garage precisely — and this happened over 100 years ago. Guess what! Standard Headlights are still in existence till today. One of the things standard headlights feature is a bulb — a forward-facing bulb — that comes in a reflexive case or box. Early models that made their way through the late 20th century were incandescent, featuring a build that’s similar to those home-light bulbs.

One thing you might have discovered about incandescent bulbs is, they get hot, don’t last long, and cast a muted, sticky light which — most times — wasn’t useful. How do halogen bulbs improve the technology? They achieve this by making use of halogen gas instead of using a filament. This offers a light that’s much more uniform forward-facing. Among other types of headlights, the halogen standard headlights are the ones regarded as the most common headlights found on the road.

2. Projector Beam Headlights

The way the projector beam headlights work is quite similar to how the standard headlights work — but there’s a little difference: the difference is that the projector beam headlights come with a special rear-facing bulb. The bulb has its special way of illuminating the reflective case of the headlight in order to cast a brighter, more focused, and more uniformly lit spot. Let’s look at the various 2018 Kia models, these types of headlights — projector-beam headlights — are shared on them.

3. Halo Headlights

Halo Headlights have their place in the list of some of the most aesthetically appealing options you can find out there. Halo headlights are placed in such a way that they’re surrounding a projector beam with a halo of light in order to make the headlights of a vehicle appear like eyes. They contribute a very little amount of light to the whole projection and are valued, primarily for their sporty and stylish appearance.

4. HID Headlights

Let us be honest, haven’t you experienced that kind of panic attached to seeing somebody in your rear-view mirror late in the night — having their bright white/blue lights pointed forward? Scary, right? HID, an acronym for high-intensity discharge, lights provide a few of the farthest available visibility you can find in a headlight, and not only do they provide such, they also feature a radiance — a distinctly cool radiance — as opposed to the various warm colors that are exuded by the standard and projector beam halogen headlights.

The HID Headlights can also be referred to as “Xenon Headlights.” The Xenon is the name of one of the gases right inside the bulb, a gas that allows the bulb to glow.

5. LED Headlights

In the market, a few of the most energy-efficient bulbs available are the LED Headlights. Among other headlights, the LED headlights are, as well, including as some of the most recent to be used today — not excluding the fact that they’re also some of the most attractive. Featuring a more uniform and concentrated appearance than the other types of headlights, LEDs generally can be utilized in different shapes aside from the contemporary bulb.

This versatility has been the reason why some of the coolest headlights and taillights pop up over the last five to ten years. We know the LEDs to run quite cooler than any other headlight technology; what does that mean? It means that they pretty much last longer. Different models of the Kia brand — such as the 2018 Kia soul feature optional LED exterior lighting for the purpose of added functionality and style.

6. Lacer Headlights

The Lacer Headlights are known as a brand new technology on the market. Before you begin to bother yourself about your cat pursuing cars, however, it is quite essential to take note of the fact that a lacer is not actually emitted from the headlight casing of the vehicle. Instead, in place of electricity, a lacer is used. Wanna know why? Well, it’s to excite a gas that produces photons (like HID lights). The difference you can spot is that lacer headlights feature versatility allowing different designs and shapes than LED headlights — but with more than a thousand times the energy output at a fraction of the energy cost.

They are, without a single doubt, the very next big leap people should look out for in the headlights technology and we could not be more excited to behold the sight of Kia, as they start releasing models featuring this marketable and cutting-edge technology. It’s now obvious how much you’ve got a whole lot of choices from which you can choose for headlight technology on your Kia vehicle you desire to purchase soon. If you have an interest in seeing a demonstration of a specific type, there are automotive industries you can contact to show you such.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Can You Tell The Difference Between Halogen And Xenon?

Xenon headlights come with a light blue color (4000-6000k), which is much similar to natural daylight. As for halogen headlights, they give out a yellow-orange color (3200-5000k), which is warmer. The installation process of halogen headlights is simply straightforward — they just have to click into position.

How Do I Know If I Have HID Or Halogen Headlights?

HIDs are close to the white color while halogens have a yellow tint.

Are Xenon And Halogen Headlights Interchangeable?

The answer to this question is a giant yes. Halogen and Xenon bulbs are interchangeable.

Can You Touch A Xenon Bulb?

We don’t recommend touching them with bare hands, even when cool. The oil your hands leave behind on the glass will eventually heat up and may cause an imbalance, making the light bulb rupture. Xenon light bulbs don’t produce as much heat and emit minimal UV rays.

Are Xenon Bulbs Brighter Than LED?

They make use of less energy than halogens, and more energy than LEDs. They are also a lot hotter than LEDs and become dimmer, as time goes on. In an xenon headlight, electric current passes through the xenon gas to create an arc between two electrodes and generate intense white or bluish light that is often brighter than LEDs.

Why Are Xenon Headlights Better Than Halogen Headlights?

A xenon bulb produces 3,000 lumens while a halogen bulb produces 1,400 lumens – the higher the lumen rating the “brighter” the lamp will appear. So, in some ways xenon bulbs are better than halogen bulbs as they offer greater luminosity and greater visibility for the driver, they last twice as long and use less energy.

Are Xenon Lights Worth It?

In terms of energy efficiency, Xenon Headlights are really good. Don’t forget the fact that xenon is a gas and that’s why it lasts for a pretty long time. You need just a little amount of electricity in order to head up this gas and make it bright.