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IIHS Tests Headlights for Midsize Crossover


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We can always count on you to agree with something negative about Ford. Just go ahead and overlook the negative ratings of the other companies.

 

While most Ford vehicles tested by IIHS have a lot of room for improvement in headlamp performance, the worst of all was BMW 3-Series with halogen headlamps. IIHS said "A driver with those headlights would have to be going 35 mph or slower to stop in time for an obstacle in the travel lane." http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/first-ever-iihs-headlight-ratings-show-most-need-improvement.

 

The IIHS tests may have shamed BMW. Halogens are gone for 2018 3-Series. They made LED headlamps a standard feature. http://www.bmwblog.com/2017/05/10/bmw-introducing-new-3-series-edition-models/

 

Also looking at the Explorer graph it seems the reason it did poor was glare; not that the headlights were bad in illumination. Also does the MKX with the LED option have low beam headlights, there is nothing shown for that vehicle or were they that dim?

 

 

 

Yes sir, Explorer low beam LED headlamps actually rated good in the straightaway tests. But they exceeded the glare threshold by more than 90%. Here are the complete results.

explorer_zps5lfr5c6z.jpg

 

For MKX with LED headlamps, low beam performance was fair in the straightaway tests. Like Explorer, LED headlamps on MKX did produce excess glare. The glare issue was much less pronounced on the MKX though.

mkx_led_zps8smkgxgr.jpg

 

MKX with HID headlamps was among the few vehicles tested by IIHS that rated good in all 6 low beam tests. However, these headlamps also had among the worst glare. They exceeded the glare threshold in the straightaway tests by more 300%!! :(

mkx_hid_zpsponqgnaa.jpg

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I come from Michigan where the lawyers hound you after the accident and to some people it really is the jackpot when your in an accident here. State mandated unlimited medical benefits kill rates along with lost wages and care worker wages -- it also why we have the highest car insurance in the county.

 

I don't always agree with how IIHS has gone about to make the industry change or their reason for doing it. But on the other hand there is no denying they have made cars and roads much safer, they might have done it though public shame vs legislation but it still worked.

 

Right, you have the highest rates in the country because your state's laws are anomalous, not normal.

 

To me, the disingenuousness of IIHS's campaigns is irksome. They are doing this to save their members money, and that's fine--until they start lecturing us about how they are all about making things safer. That's bull crap, and it is so embedded in their propaganda campaign it's part of their name.

 

Be honest. Don't take my money and act like you're doing me a favor.

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I just made a claim because my Focus got hit in a distracted driver accident (100% the other person's fault....you'll see in the video below). She was looking down (texting) and did not see the Tesla in front of her come to a stop for a turning truck. When she realized she was going to hit the car in front of her, she swerved into oncoming traffic (d'oh).

 

Even more amazing is what bodyshops will charge insurance companies (let's remember who gets the cash!)

 

Anyway, here is a short clip of me driving my Focus to work the other day.

 

Edited by Anthony
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Wow. Can it be that I paid $5,500 (well, less the 'cost' of the Revel Ultima) for headlamps that perform WORSE than the standard setup in my MKX??

 

Truth be told I don't drive in non-street-lit areas very much after dark, but I have never had the impression the MKX LEDs performed any worse/better than the HIDs in my previous '13 MKX or '11 Edge.

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