It’s something that isn’t at the top of our list when seeking a new vehicle, but a prerequisite for safe night time driving: visibility. And visibility can only be as good as your headlights allow.
That’s why Consumer Reports says it started testing headlight brightness in 2004. 35 percent of fatalities involving a motor vehicle happen between 9pm and 6am meaning, with a little more light, you may be able to see what’s up ahead even better.
The 2015 Cadillac Escalade has taken top honors in this regard, as the luxury SUV has been awarded the publication’s very first “Excellent” rating in headlight brightness. The LED “crystal” lenses literally outshine anything else on the road, providing superior illumination at night. CR says the low-beams were able to light road signs as far as 400-feet ahead.
Though, as we’ve explored previously, that illumination can come at a price should the headlamp be damaged. Prepare to dish out $1,250 should something happen and a replacement is needed.
But, the fact of the matter is the 2015 Escalade has set a bit of a milestone with its LED lighting. Next time you feel an Escalade driver is blinding you, know it’s not on purpose, it’s just safety.
At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
Sales decreased 5.6 percent to 16,670 units during the first ten months of 2024.
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This is totally ridiculous...This is not safe ...! Other vehicle drivers are blinded and can ran into any object because of excessive brightness. Many people can't tolerate this baloney and HID's should be abandoned and made illegal!!!
We have a 2007 premium escalade and have never kept vehicle this long without trading but we love this truck it's the best ever and love the idea for new changes on the 2016, May have to trade
I respectfully disagree with Mr. Vette. HID's are acutally less irritating and softer to the human eye vs the normal halogen bulb. Youll notice it, especially at night. Every night I drive through super dark two way roads. I noticed when a older vehicle with halogen bulbs would approach me, I would have to look away or try to cover the other vehicles headlights from my eye sight. Mind you, I wear a set of perscription glasses. When a vehicle equipped with HID's or with the Jewel lights like the Mercedez Benz's and the Acura's, I feel that I can look right into the light all night long! It doesn't irritate nor does it make my eyes tear up like the halogen lights do. Plus it looks better than anything out there at the moment. At the end of the day HID's have been around for decades (1700's), so no law will be against HID's lol. Any human can stand right infront of a vehicle equipped with HID's with their brights on, see how long anyone will last infront of a vehicle without it...
I think you mixed the two of them up HIDs are a lot more hurtful to look directly at it then the halogen ones
I own a cadillac ELR, and it has very good lighting. Not sure what kind, but they seem to be much better than regular lights. They are auto bright-dim and very good.
Ban these horrible LED/HID eye ball burners! Immediately!
The new Cadillac Escalade's with the LED lights blind me on the road and I believe that's because of their height but pretty much every other vehicle that blind you whether their HID LED or halogen is because in most cases they are not aimed correctly the light needs to be shining on the road not up in the air to blind everybody.
You must have your headlights aimed correctly and if you're not sure. Point them farther down
"...Next time you feel an Escalade driver is blinding you, know it’s not on purpose, it’s just safety..."
What? Gm Authority and GM is proud of this fact? It's not safe to every other driver GM.
Agree, those Escalade lights blind me all the time. Lexus vehicles seem to be a close second in this offense.