Headlights have been around since the dawn of the automobile, evolving from the early acetylene lamps already in use on horse-drawn carriages, to the adaptive laser units you would find on the latest high-end model.

The most common types of headlights in use today are halogen and LED. Manufacturers are slowly phasing out halogen headlights in favour of LEDs, but both have their benefits and in this article, we will delve into the pros and cons of both types to give you a better idea of which one is best for you.

What is a halogen headlight?

Halogen headlights have been around since the 1960s, they are a modified version of an incandescent light bulb (the ones we all used to have in our homes) and comprise of a tungsten filament enclosed in a glass bulb filled with halogen and a mix of other noble gases. Halogen lights emit a yellowish glow.

What are the pros and cons of a halogen headlight?

Pros:

• Cheap to replace
• Less glaring yellowish light quality

Cons:

• Not that bright
  
• High power usage
  

Halogen light bulbs are commonplace in the majority of entry-level cars around the world thanks to their low manufacturing and replacement costs.

Replacing a halogen light bulb is also a lot simpler than swapping out a faulty LED unit, however, you may be doing it more often as halogen bulbs have a shorter lifespan than LEDs. That said, the average cost of a halogen bulb is between £5 to £20, so having to replace them every few years is hardly going to break the bank.

Halogen bulbs aren’t very efficient, though, consuming around 80% more energy than an LED headlight. This can put an extra load on the car’s electrical system and can impact overall efficiency over time.
They also don’t shine as brightly as LEDs, as some of that energy usage gets converted into heat instead of illumination. The dimmer light quality and yellowish glow is less disturbing for other road users, though