The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) is the only automobile who's headlights were rated as good. Study: Headlights are underperforming, with only one 2016 car "good"
But base model headlights in the Prius and BMW both rated poor. Failure to equip a car with a safety feature when a safety feature is available seems to invite a lawsuit. I have never understood why safety items are only available in ridiculously priced packages. For example I have to order a sunroof to get a safety item that is only on the top of the line model.
Not sure if this is the appropriate forum to post this. It's general automotive news, about headlight testing, not too deep. They mention the Prius v with LED's as a top performer. A Dim View: Only 1 Car Out Of 31 Is Deemed To Have 'Good' Headlights : The Two-Way : NPR
Let's not forget that the DoT has restrictions on manufactures that preclude implementing some of the technological advances in headlight effectiveness.
This was on our local tv news, and there was some more video, by CAA, or AAA. The interviewee mentioned how today's headlights typically have a plastic housing that can turn milky over time, comparing to the older glass sealed-beams.
The Five with LED headlights has a different wiring harness, a height sensor on the rear suspension for the self-leveling feature and who knows what other differences.
Are the Prius headlight housings glass or plastic? Snapped a picture of not-too-old Acura the yesterday, walking the dog. This was a car parked outside a nursing home, facing south. I'd guess they're parked there daily, year-in, year-out.
Plastic. Toyota like most car makers stopped using glass lenses on headlights many years ago - which is why car makers no longer use wipers on headlight cleaners. Those plastic headlight lenses on that Acura could be restored to like new condition with a $25 headlight restoration kit. My favorite kit is from Sylvania.
That's one plus of the old-style sealed beams: a fresh, glass headlight with every bulb change. Changing them was typically a walk in the park, and they cost around $20. Headlights now are a styling statement, very pricey too.
The "old-style sealed beams" usually provided poor lighting - even the halogen sealed beams that were introduced in the 1980's - although that was largely due to the beam pattern required in North America that was inscribed on the lenses. And glass headlight lenses were easily broken by rocks kicked up by other vehicles. Rocks just bounce off plastic lenses.
