Just over half of 2018 model vehicles IIHS evaluated are available with headlights that do an adequate job of lighting the road at night and limiting glare for oncoming drivers, but most good-rated headlights are optional or bundled with features that can raise the price of the vehicle.
“Consumers shouldn’t have to buy a fully loaded vehicle to get the headlights they need to safely drive at night,” says David Aylor, manager of active safety testing at IIHS. “All new vehicles should come with good headlights.”
Since the Institute released its first headlight ratings for passenger vehicles in 2016, most manufacturers have focused on improving this key safety component (see “In the dark: New ratings show most headlights need improvement,” March 30, 2016). That year, only 2 of 95 headlight systems on 2016-model vehicles IIHS evaluated earned a good rating.
For the 2018 model year, the best-available headlights on 32 of 165 models evaluated earn the highest rating of good, and the best-available headlights on 58 models earn the second-highest rating of acceptable. Thirty-two models have only marginal-rated headlights, while poor-rated headlights are the only ones available for 43 models.
Good-rated headlights are needed to qualify for a 2018 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, and good- or acceptable-rated headlights are a requirement for TOP SAFETY PICK. The Institute is evaluating headlights on contenders for the 2019 awards, which will be announced in December.
A single model may have several different headlight options, and the Institute tries to test all of them as the vehicles arrive on dealer lots. In all, IIHS engineers evaluated 424 headlight variants on 2018 models. Of these, 67 percent earn a marginal or poor rating because of inadequate visibility, excessive glare from low beams for oncoming drivers, or both.
The Genesis G90, a large luxury sedan, and the Lexus NX, a midsize luxury SUV, are the only 2018 models evaluated that come with good-rated headlights, no matter the trim line or options package. The best-available headlights on the Chevrolet Volt, Genesis G80, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Toyota Camry are rated good, while the lowest are rated acceptable.
Fifteen other models have acceptable-rated headlights across the board.
Please click here to view the full press release.
SOURCE: IIHS
