Xenon HID Lights - Brilliant Illumination or Blinding to Other Drivers?

Xenon lighting is generated from an odorless and colorless gas called xenon that is heated by a small amount of electricity. The result is lighting that is brighter and better than most halogen light sources that you come across.

Xenon lighting is used primarily as a popular type of headlight in a lot of modern vehicles. However, those with older makes and models can purchase xenon HID kits to upgrade your car’s existing lighting.

But are xenon HID benefits worth their disadvantages?

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Advantages of Xenon Lights

There are certainly more pros than cons associated with xenon lighting for your vehicle. Below are the top 4 pros that you should be aware of.

Brighter

Xenon lights are much brighter than your standard halogen lights. Some claim the light is so bright that it can make night time look like daytime.

Whiter

The lighting of the xenon HID light bulb is very white and can illuminate dark environments much better than halogen lights.

Energy Efficient

Since xenon lighting uses gas as its energy source, there is less electricity being used to generate the light. This means the xenon light HID bulb will consume less energy than a halogen bulb would.

Longer Lifespan

This relates to the third pro that was just mentioned. Because the xenon lighting is energy efficient, a xenon HID light bulb will last longer too.

Disadvantages of Xenon Lights

There are very few disadvantages to using xenon lighting. Below are the top 2 cons associated with xenon lighting in vehicles.

Expensive

Xenon light HID bulbs are more expensive than halogen light bulbs. For most makes and models, you will have to purchase a separate xenon light HID kit which gives you the option to add xenon lighting to them. Of course, you must pay extra money for these kits as well as the installation costs if you aren’t a mechanic.

Causes Glare

Due to the brightness of the xenon lighting, it may cause a lot of glare in the mirrors of other drivers. This could impact their driving ability or just make them annoyed with you.

If you go to the right car dealer and are looking to purchase a new car, they may present you with the option to have a xenon light HID upgrade to the vehicle.

The advantage of getting it this way is so you can have the dealer install the xenon lighting HID kit for you. This is generally much better than attempting to add an aftermarket kit later on.

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Mark Stevens

Owner at Car Treatments

Mark is a veteran auto technician who has honed his skills with over 19 years of service working at various independent shops. While Fords and Mazdas are his specialty, he enjoys working on practically any vehicle (except a Nissan 300ZX).

He’s known for his attention to detail and problem-solving skills and enjoys coming up with out-of-the box solutions when the situation requires it.

When he's not troubleshooting customers' cars, you'll most likely find him working on his current project ('96 Bronco) or cooking Italian food for his family.

Xenon HID Headlights (Pros and Cons)