OK - I admit it - I hate cars with HID headlamps! There - I've said it. On my drive home I wasn't blinded, but was definitely distracted and annoyed by a Prius with very bright headlights. I'm totally jazzed about the 2010 Prius, but feel I would be a hypocrite if I went and got a car with headlamps that blind and/or piss off other drivers. I just can't believe that so many new cars on the road have improperly aimed headlamps. Are the 2010's halogen's just standard headlamps with the new LED headlamps the upgrade? Can I buy the Prius II - IV with a clear conscience?
God the Prius is a great car. Anyone got nits need picking? I hate Holden Statesmans because when they have a heavy load in the boot the headlights are too high.
LED's are only standard on the Prius V model in the US. Prius II-IV are Halogen projector type. Granted, some projector type headlamps can be equally blinding if misadjusted or you get into the beam path somehow.
It should be noted for the OP that the 04 -09 Prius with HID headlamps also has a leveling ECU to avoid blinding other drivers. There have been some issues with the sensor (mounted at the rear axle beam) succumbing to corrosion on some cars. This could explain why he/she was blinded by said Prius.
HID headlights have been available for years now. Maybe I'm not affected the same way as others, but I'm no longer bothered by HIDs. When they first came out, they were a little surprising in terms of their "perceived" brightness. Nowadays I usually don't even notice when someone has them. Possibly the newer ones are less "blue". Also, maybe the newer cars are set up with them aligned too low! My prius was that way. I started driving in the '70s, and it seemed that back then it was more common to encounter a car with misaligned headlights. I was taught in driving school to "not look at the oncoming car's headlights", but rather to "look ahead at the right hand shoulder and roadway" when being "blinded" by oncoming lights. You'll still be able to see the oncoming car with your peripheral vision. This advice has always worked for me. FYI: I live in a hilly area, and wear corrective glasses.
Yes you can. Only the Prius V has LEDs. However, if you have a full load, you're better off in the Prius V because it has auto-levelling headlights (your regular halogen bulbs on the Prius II to Prius IV on the other hand will be blinding other drivers)
Wow, did Toyota just cost cut and make an unsafe headlight design? Oh I forgot I'm an unhappy man and a hater.
My gut feeling is that the halogen headlights probably will not be any worse (or better) than 90% of all the other automobiles on the road. Keith
I must admit, I was disappointed to hear that I could only get the LED headlights in the V package, and at the same time only get the Solar roof package in the IV package.
The way you've been acting lately, can you really blame me for not taking it as a joke? I apologise if it truly was a sarcastic remark.
