LED hightlights

sootytorques

Active Member
Sep 9, 2013
260
1
Not had to use them much during first 6 months of ownership, but im disappointed, they produce a great colour, but aren't noticeably brighter than xenon
 

Briant566

Active Member
Oct 12, 2014
343
2
West Yorks England
:scary:: No they wont bee but are they brighter than standard Headlight bulbs it supposed to be a better colour for seeing things
We all aware the don't come up to HID standard
 
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RabRS

Active Member
Aug 25, 2014
152
0
I'm coming from owning an Evo 6, which has the worst headlights since they were putting candles in tins...

For me, they are just awesome. Can't wait to collect it.

:D
 

Gladiator

Active Member
Apr 19, 2014
35
0
Totally agree, coming from a Mk5 Golf GTi that barely lit the road the LED's are a great improvement :)
 

neil_f225

Full Member
Mar 14, 2005
521
0
My previous car was a mk2 octavia vrs fl with xenon and afs which made the xenons turn with the steering. Have to say the led headlights are just as good as the xenon and produce a whiter light. I always thought the corning function on them was a gimmick but now that I don't have it I must admit I do notice a different. Full beam is better on the leon as the octavia used a conventional bulb and not xenon for full beam
 

easybreeze80

Active Member
Aug 31, 2014
80
0
My mk5 Golf R32 is 9 years old nearly, I replaced the Xenons recently for Xenarc Unlimited bulbs and they are amazing, this unfortunately means that now coming to the LEDs on the Leon I find these pretty poor, lovely colour but nowhere near as bright, the big giveaway is that with the LED you can't see the line on the road in front of you, on the Golf it's extremely clear.

However I'm happy enough with them as they're good enough and better than H7 bulbs, I would put them between these and Xenons.
 

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
My last 2 cars had xenons and these LEDs are a country mile away from being anywhere near as good. The high beam isn't even comparable to the dipped on a decent set of xenons. To those who think they're good, get yourself on a dark dual carriageway, then let a xenon equipped Audi or Merc (or even a Golf) overtake and watch how its headlights totally wash out yours. Then, as it drives up the road, compare how much more light that car is putting out compared to yours...
 

andrewpain

Active Member
Jul 5, 2014
1,852
3
Meppershall Beds.
have to agree with Simon on the xenons.
My previous car was a 320CDi with bi-xenons, and they were amazing.
I would have said that xenons were a "must-have", until I tried the Leon with LEDS.
They weren't quite as good, but the car, as a package, was enough. And compared with the equivalent spec merc, or even golf - I wasn't going to pay the difference just for the lights...they're better than standard units, and I'll live with them.
 

JackReacher

Active Member
Jun 20, 2013
148
0
The xenons on my 350z are good, but not amazing, but it is 10 years old. I'm hoping that the LED lights will be better on the Leon when we get it as my girlfriend does a lot of driving in the dark.

If LED lights are not as good, why are they a more expensive option than xenons on the A3?
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,027
704
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
The LEDS in my 280 are a lot better than the Xenons in my mk5 Biza Cupra that I just replaced, and no Merc or Audi has passed me on an unlit road as my route is twisty and not motorway, so I now drive quicker than I did in the dark. No complaints with them.
 

scrich7

Active Member
Oct 6, 2013
311
0
Bedford
I think the big plus, having seen a number of other cars driving towards me in the dark with LED headlights (particularly Leons and Mercs), is the massive reduction in glare and dazzle. It's the one thing that really annoys me about Xenon's from some manufacturers is just how skittish and jumpy they are, and how much they dazzle as a result.

I'd happily have LED's instead of Xenon's if it means less dazzle/glare.
 

Briant566

Active Member
Oct 12, 2014
343
2
West Yorks England
I think the big plus, having seen a number of other cars driving towards me in the dark with LED headlights (particularly Leons and Mercs), is the massive reduction in glare and dazzle. It's the one thing that really annoys me about Xenon's from some manufacturers is just how skittish and jumpy they are, and how much they dazzle as a result.

I'd happily have LED's instead of Xenon's if it means less dazzle/glare.

Good point they must be a lot better or its Audi's usual l Rip of for extras
 

neil_f225

Full Member
Mar 14, 2005
521
0
My last 2 cars had xenons and these LEDs are a country mile away from being anywhere near as good. The high beam isn't even comparable to the dipped on a decent set of xenons. To those who think they're good, get yourself on a dark dual carriageway, then let a xenon equipped Audi or Merc (or even a Golf) overtake and watch how its headlights totally wash out yours. Then, as it drives up the road, compare how much more light that car is putting out compared to yours...

Find it strange the comments that the leds are poor given all the manufacturers market them as the next generation in lighting.In fact Audi offer led headlights on the A6 as an upgrade over xenons and market them as being revolutionary as do the likes of Mercedes as well...if they weren't as good as xenons why bother? Drove my friends brand new 520d with xenon on an unlit road and the leon lights are definitely brighter ( oh and his previous car was an A4 with xenons.)
 

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
With xenons there are 3 wattages available, 25W, 35W and the aftermarket 55W ones. Most cars from a few years back used the 35W units, but the 25W ones are becoming more prevalent nowadays and aren't as bright (obviously). It's possible these LEDs are comparable to the 25W xenons when it comes to light output, but I only put them on a par with H7 halogens having had no experience of the 25 watters. The colour is better than halogen, but that is all.

As for the Audi LEDs, stuff like the A6 (and its competition) have much more advanced lighting than the humble Leon which probably give an equivalent light output to 35W xenons. The EU law regarding headlight washers only applies if the unit puts out over 2000 lumens, so manufacturers are lowering light outputs to get around having to fit the washers. This is why they're on the options list for the Leon and not standard fit...
 

neil_f225

Full Member
Mar 14, 2005
521
0
With xenons there are 3 wattages available, 25W, 35W and the aftermarket 55W ones. Most cars from a few years back used the 35W units, but didn't5W ones are becoming more prevalent nowadays and aren't as bright (obviously). It's possible these LEDs are comparable to the 25W xenons when it comes to light output, but I only put them on a par with H7 halogens having had no experience of the 25 watters. The colour is better than halogen, but that is all.

As for the Audi LEDs, stuff like the A6 (and its competition) have much more advanced lighting than the humble Leon which probably give an equivalent light output to 35W xenons. The EU law regarding headlight washers only applies if the unit puts out over 2000 lumens, so manufacturers are lowering light outputs to get around having to fit the washers. This is why they're on the options list for the Leon and not standard fit...

Can't believe you are saying the leds are no better than a h7 halogen...seriously! Led is far superior. My wife's car has h7 and the led are far brighter to the point I might consider an aftermarket hid kit for her car. Suppose everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Dread to think what the standard leon headlights are like if people are saying the led aren't great.

(Did wonder why they didn't come with headlight washers as my octavia did with the xenon. Just thought because they are less likely to dazzle than xenon that they didn't require them)
 

UTCIAD

Dorset
May 6, 2014
75
0
Bournemouth
My last 2 cars had xenons and these LEDs are a country mile away from being anywhere near as good. The high beam isn't even comparable to the dipped on a decent set of xenons. To those who think they're good, get yourself on a dark dual carriageway, then let a xenon equipped Audi or Merc (or even a Golf) overtake and watch how its headlights totally wash out yours. Then, as it drives up the road, compare how much more light that car is putting out compared to yours...

I'm with you on this, having done my first trip down a really dark country road in my 280 at the weekend. Although the LEDs look great they simply don't light up the road ahead on main beam in the way xenons did on my previous Mazda 6.
 

easybreeze80

Active Member
Aug 31, 2014
80
0
I think the problem here is people comparing either smaller cars Xenons (as per Simon's comments) or xenons on 10 year old cars! As said, I recently changed the bulbs in my 2006 golf and the difference is huge, the bulbs degrade over time. With the Xenons on the golf I can see clear as day the line going across the road in front of me, I can't with the leon.

Saying that, I love that I have LED lights as it's the future and with electric powered cars requiring energy savings I imagine these are here to stay, I can can see that cars in the future will not have headlamps like now and will have strips of light which sounds very cool.

The LED lights are good, but just not as powerful as top Xenons... but do they really need to be?
 
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stevemc81

Active Member
Oct 25, 2013
144
15
At the end of the day, the LEDs are far far sexier and that's the most important thing! :)
 

Doug_m

Active Member
Jun 6, 2014
73
0
NE Scotland
Had xenons in my previous two cars, R53 cooper S and an 8p S3.
The S3's lights were great, bi-xenon with adaptive lights(cornering).

In my opinion the LEDs on the Leon are brighter and produce a better light but the brightness does'nt have the same distance, I do also miss the adaptive lights which I didnt think I would.