Yahoo Autos Most Small Crossovers Have Garbage Headlights Too, Says IIHS
Back in March, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published the results of a study that found nearly every midsize car sold in the U.S. has headlights that rate "Poor." Now the safety organization has completed a study on nearly all of the small crossovers sold here, and well, it's pretty much the same story. Not a single crossover tested has what the IIHS rates as "Good" headlights.
The study found the best crossover headlights available today are on the Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring equipped with the optional i-Activsense package. The worst belong to the Honda HR-V, shown above. Along with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Tuscon, the IIHS considers the CX-3s headlights "Acceptable," the highest rating any vehicle achieved on the tests. Not exactly glowing (sorry) praise.
The IIHS tests how much usable light a headlight puts out in both high- and low-beam settings, measured on curves and straightaways. This test, according to the IIHS, doesn't necessarily favor modern tech like LED lighting and swiveling bulbs-indeed, some basic halogen lights out-performed competitors with more advanced lighting systems-though cars do get points for having automatic high beams. Points were also deducted for headlights that produce excessive amounts of glare, usually a result of being improperly aimed. You can learn more about the testing procedure and see the full detailed results on the IIHS website.
The HR-V got the worst score for its "Inadequate" performance in all environments, and because it only offers basic halogen lights. It might be the worst of all the crossovers tested, but it's one of 12 cars in the study that doesn't offer any sort of headlight upgrade whatsoever. The IIHS urges consumers to research different headlights available on a car they're interested in before purchasing.
Adding to automaker trouble is the fact that the IIHS will now withhold a "Top Safety Pick+" recommendation for cars that don't achieve Good or Acceptable headlight ratings. This will strip seven small crossovers of their "Top Safety Pick+" rating unless their headlights are upgraded for the 2017 model year.
As always, we hope these damning IIHS studies inspire regulators to lift our country's archaic headlight regulations, which prevent the usage of many modern headlight advances to reduce glare, increase vision, and eliminate high-beam blinding of oncoming traffic.
Perhaps the IIHS should urge the DOT to rethink these regulations in the name of better headlights.
