What are the options (in Canada) for aftermarket headlights, e.g. HID, etc. for the Kia Soul?
I find the Soul's headlights to be lacking, and I would like to get something brighter since I do quite a bit of nighttime driving.
Thanks!
potential tags: aftermarket, xenon, headlights
A few rules of thumb that apply to the Kia Soul as well as most other cars.
Avoid HID/Xenon headlight retrofit kits unless they're part of an entirely new assembly with optics designed specifically for HID usage. In almost all cases, adding an HID retrofit kit generates a) dangerous glare for oncoming traffic and b) does not properly illuminate the road - you will have very bright patches, but very little visibility outside this limited patch. Here is a good treatise on the pitfalls of HID retrofit kits.
Avoid the "blue look" halogen upgrades. These are cosmetic only. They have a bluish filter that gives the light a "white" color, but do not illuminate better - in most cases, they actually perform worse.
Your best choice is to look for Hella overwattage halogen bulbs, which are actually brighter and will work around the optical parameters of your projectors. Make sure your wiring/relays/headlamp housing can accomodate these bulbs.
Many times, your light output is diminished because the headlamp housing has become cloudy/hazy. Take a good polishing compound (meguiars scratch-x or swirl-x) with a microfiber towel, and rub this into your lights. Put your back into it. after 3 or 4 passes, they will be clear as new and subsequently restore effective light output.
