Arlington, Virginia - Given the technologies available today, there's no reason why any modern car should have trouble illuminating the road ahead, but a new test by US safety authority IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) shows that today's compact SUVs are more than a little dim.
The IIHS, which is better known for its crash tests, recently tested 21 compact SUVs and not a single one of them could even muster a 'good' rating, with just four emerging as 'acceptable' and almost two thirds rating as 'poor'.
"Headlight performance in today's vehicles varies widely. Government standards are based on laboratory tests, which don't accurately gauge performance in real-world driving," the IIHS asserted. "Manufacturers aren't paying enough attention to the actual on-road performance of this basic equipment."
THE IIHS HEADLIGHT RATINGS
Acceptable
Mazda CX-3
Ford Escape (Kuga)
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Tucson
Marginal
BMW X1
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan
Poor
Audi Q3
Buick Encore (Opel Mokka)
Chevrolet Trax
Fiat 500X
Honda HR-V
Jeep Patriot
Jeep Renegade
Jeep Wrangler
Kia Sportage
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (ASX)
Nissan Rogue (X-Trail)
Subaru Forester
Consider your ‘options’
The best performing of the group was the Mazda's CX-3's optional curve-adaptive LED lights with high beam assist, while the worst headlights among the SUVs tested belonged to the Honda HR-V, its halogens found to be inadequate on all four curves and on the straight path. The authority also cautioned consumers to consider the differences between models in a particular range as the headlights fitted to the range-topping Hyundai Tucson, for instance, earned an 'acceptable' rating, while the ones fitted to lower models proved 'poor'.
How are the lights tested?
The IIHS tests headlights on its research centre's track after dark, using a special device to measure how far the light is projected on five different approaches: travelling straight, a sharp left curve, a sharp right curve, a gradual left curve and a gradual right curve. The tests also measure glare for oncoming drivers.