The front light design

[Nick P]

I know I should reserve judgement until I see it in the metal, but based on the pictures, I'm really not convinced about the ridges in the front light clusters which are intended to echo the bars of the grille. I think they might look a bit cheap / gimicky.

What do you think?

[SJFISHER67]

I don't like the ridges at all. Not for me.

[Rsrob]

I like the look of the ridges in the front light clsters in the pic i looked at but to i can see it in the metal i can not say for 100%

[Leon-y-k]

I'd like to say that it adds a bit of depth and intricacy to the front, that's what seems to make it interesting the more you look at it.

[jbconno]

Are you sure that its not just the reflection of the ceiling lighting strips ?

[Nick P]

yes

[Leon-y-k]

It's channeled through a fiber optic type of light deeper into the headlight unit to add depth and more of a organic look to it...

Did you read that PM I sent you Nick?!

Edited 30 December, 2012 by Leon-y-k

[Nick P]

Oh yeah, sorry I forgot to reply Leon. Yes, it was a good read that. Most interesting.

[silver1011]

I see the new Seat Leon gets the option of full LED headlights (dipped and main beam).

Looks like Skoda is cast aside again with just the usual halogen/xenon setup.

The Leon gets 'Main Beam Assist' too.

Edited 5 January, 2013 by silver1011

[allan1888]

I see the new Seat Leon gets the option of full LED headlights (dipped and main beam).

Looks like Skoda is cast aside again with just the usual halogen/xenon setup.

I don't know why VW group keep doing this to Skoda, Seat should be bottom of the group when it comes to features as they are not a profitable part of VW,they have made losses for the past 3-4 years while Skoda have made profits.

[Leon-y-k]

I don't know why VW group keep doing this to Skoda, Seat should be bottom of the group when it comes to features as they are not a profitable part of VW,they have made losses for the past 3-4 years while Skoda have made profits.

+1 with this, though I'm sure the Octavia will get main beam assist?!

I still think a "pupil" makes the car look more human, so it's a nice feature to have, and adds character to the car rather than just blocks...

Edited 5 January, 2013 by Leon-y-k

[h5djr]

+1 with this, though I'm sure the Octavia will get main beam assist?!

High beam assist may well be an available option as it is on the new Golf VII for £135.

[RapidRonnie]

Is high beam assist the thingy which changes from high to dipped beam automatically when traffic is coming at you? If so, then yes, the Octy 3 has this.

[Leon-y-k]

Is high beam assist the thingy which changes from high to dipped beam automatically when traffic is coming at you? If so, then yes, the Octy 3 has this.

Sounds like it!

[dstev2000]

I think the SEAT LED headlamp unit looks crap. Like the A8 setup which looks equally awful.

I would prefer to have a Bi-Xenon setup and have the car look decent.

[dieselV6]

LED headlamp units are long term maintenance nightmare, unless VAG would guarantee them for 10 years / 200k miles .

Blown bulb is much easier to replace, and a hundred times less expensive too at today's dealership prices.

[Fatbloke]

Is it just me or this picture? The front end appears to be disproportionately small relative to the well matched cabin and rear. Almost like it has the front of the Rapid grafted on!

[Nick P]

You're not wrong. I guess it's because it's a fairly large car for the platform.

[backdoc]

Is it just me or this picture? The front end appears to be disproportionately small relative to the well matched cabin and rear. Almost like it has the front of the Rapid grafted on!

I think in the red and on that angle, the bonet looks like it has lost height. It appears as one flat surface. The angle up is lost in that front crease. I think that makes sense.......I hope.

Other pics and colors look much more in proportion.

[Anddenton]

LED headlamp units are long term maintenance nightmare, unless VAG would guarantee them for 10 years / 200k miles .

Blown bulb is much easier to replace, and a hundred times less expensive too at today's dealership prices.

Expected lifespan of car from a manufacturing point of view is 6 years or 100k miles, whichever comes first. Why would they warranty anything further.

[dieselV6]

Correction, expected lifespan of car from beancounter's maximum profit point of view is 6y/100k miles. Expected lifespan from customer's point of view is until customer no longer needs that car (gets bored, his/her needs change, wants to impress neighbours, crashes it, etc. etc.)

Note that average age of a car in the UK is 7.5 years and is increasing. My Mk1 Superb is close to 7yrs/110k miles and I can still drive it for at least 40k miles (belt job) if not another 100k+. Also, taxi drivers and chaffeurs frequently hit 300k miles.

I do not have a problem even with 12 months warranty, provided LED light replacements are cheap. Even if they cost £100 to replace it still would be OK-ish. But at current prices, if the LED unit goes at 100001 miles or 6 years 1 day, the cost of replacement can exceed the market value of the car at that point. Even though I do not subscribe to a lot if not most of pseudo-ecofriendliness, the fact remains that the biggest use of resources in the car's life is actually manufacturing that car. And for anyone driving more than either 6y or 100k miles, or both, scrapping the car just because a LED headlight went bust makes no sense.

Furthermore, when it comes to replacing headlamps specifically, LEDs are still not out of the woods, despite considerable design effort. Main problem are conflicting requirements. Front of car is where engine usually sits and it gets quite hot, LEDs require as much cooling as they can to last the required thousands of hours. That's why current LED headlamp offerings are quite bulky, it's the heatsinks, the LEDs themselves are small and flat.

Finally, focusing surface light sources (LEDs) is more problematic than focusing point light sources (halogen bulbs) or ball light sources (HID). Getting the required intensity of light on the road especially for main beam can be problematic, and again results in limits on how flat headlamp housing can be.

So at present, LEDs win only on efficiency and novelty factor, but you pay for it in initial price, long term replacement costs and likely resale value of the car when they're out of warranty. You make your own choices, but I'll stick to halogens in fogs and high beams , HIDs in low beams, and a whopping 200W / 18k lumen in high beam HID auxiliaries + 130W / 11k lumen in aux HID fogs. All combined (and including spares and consumables) costing less than the cost of 1 replacement LED headlamp unit,

Edited 26 January, 2013 by dieselV6