LED vs Xenons and mk2 170 against mk3 150

[cejsmith]

I was looking at a mk2 FR+ but it has been suggested that I think about a Mk3 FR, one of the questions I have is the LED's on the mk3 as good as the xenons on a mk2 FR+?

Also how does a Mk3 fr 150 compare with a Mk2 170 preformance wise????

 

[Nath.]

A MK2 170 will be a fair bit quicker than a mk3 150 and there are no remaps for the 150 yet only tuning boxes. MK3 180 would be the equivalent.

The MK2 xenons are very good. I've heard that the MK3 LED's are not very bright because they are angled too low.

A MK2 FR+ 170 (supercopa) is one hell of a well loaded car for the money. That's why I got one rather than waiting and getting an early MK3.

 

[rcopus]

I know its not the direct comparison you wanted, but food for thought?
I had the MK5 Ibiza LED DRL & AFS Bi-Xenon headlights and now have the MK3 Leon with LED's.

The Ibiza had very bright xenon bulbs, however I always felt the auto-levelling set them too low, so much so, I took it to a dealer who put it on the beam tester and said it was fine. I wouldn't call lighting a few foot in front of the bonnet fine, but hey-ho!

Now I have the Leon, and the LED's seem much brighter. But I put this down purely to just being able to see more of the light. On the Leon they aren't aimed solely at a few foot in front of the car like my Ibiza was.

One thing I do miss is the AFS though, the Ibiza lights used to turn with the steering, I'm surprised at just how handy (and effective) this was.

I haven't been on an entirely unlit road yet (only picked Leon up on Friday) so have yet to see how the Leon LED's perform on full beam in total darkness. However I have suspicion this is where the big difference will be, the LED's will have a very focused and sharp cut-off I reckon. Whereas the Ibiza on full-beam was like having light canons on front of the car! Everything and anything was lit up with no dark patches or cut-off. Doubt the LED's will perform like that...

 

[DeanC]

The LEDS are much better and brighter than my 335d bi xenons and of any car I have driven (hundreds of exec hire cars). Just everything is evenly lit. The side lighting is what i notice most. When you overtake the side of the car you are overtaking is completely lit up even a foot in front of you.

It does have a sharp cutoff but this is actually a benefit, you get all the light where you need it.

Full beam is something else, it adjusts the beam and adds the second row of LEDs.

I did adjust mine up half a turn with no loss of light close up for maneuvering and have not had anyone flash me.

 

[DeanC]

A MK2 170 will be a fair bit quicker than a mk3 150 and there are no remaps for the 150 yet only tuning boxes. MK3 180 would be the equivalent.

The MK2 xenons are very good. I've heard that the MK3 LED's are not very bright because they are angled too low.

A MK2 FR+ 170 (supercopa) is one hell of a well loaded car for the money. That's why I got one rather than waiting and getting an early MK3.

Im not sure I agree on the performance buddy.

The new engine plus the weight saving evens it up. My mate has a 170 mk2 and the 150 mk3 demo car I had was just as quick. I expected the same as you before I got the demo and was comparing it to a golf 170 I had driven a lot. 20bhp and 30nm is good but the new tdi on the mqb cars has a much better power delivery and like for like in manual 5dr FR guise the mk3 is 165kg lighter. That's why there is only 0.2 seconds in the 0-60 time and the mk3 150 actually has a higher book top speed.

I just did a trip to the in laws with all 5 of us in the car and a boot full of presents and 150kg + makes a HUGE difference. Probably why the mk3 is 68mpg combined and band B not 55mpg and band E.

My 184 pre-box pulled away from my mates 170 a good 3 or 4 car lenghts a second at any speed and was exactly matched to the mk1 LCR I posted about in the spotted section.

 

[marty_34]

valid point made by Nath, the mk2 super copa is lot of car with massive spec for the money. that's what I went looking for originally but the deal I was offered on the mk3 150 was too good to refuse, coupled with tech packs, upgrade wheels, convenience packs, satnav, etc etc and a massive saving on list price, I ended up getting the mk3

my previous car was a mk2 170 pd, the mk3 doesn't kick as much in low gear but I understand power delivery is much different and smoother with the cr engines.

lights wise the led are pretty good in my opinion, id say the xenon lights are slightly better but the led lights up the road well in the dark, however if you switch on the front spot lights the brightness is impressive

 

[NinjaPirateUK]

The LED lighting is very good, it is a slightly whiter harsher light compared to the bi-xenons on my mk2 which had a (comparatively) bluer hue to them. I don't think either has a distinct advantage over the other, I certainly don't feel short-changed changing to LEDs!

High beam assist is very good too, providing that there is a light source ahead for it to detect. Which was unfortunate for the unlit cyclist coming the other way, I didn't see him in time to dip my lights manually. I almost felt bad, but some people don't help themselves sometimes.

 

[marty_34]

High beam assist is very good too, providing that there is a light source ahead for it to detect. Which was unfortunate for the unlit cyclist coming the other way, I didn't see him in time to dip my lights manually. I almost felt bad, but some people don't help themselves sometimes.[/QUOTE]

bit like the idiot I saw earlier pushing a wheelchair on the wrong side of a badly lit road with no high viz clothing on. I felt for the person in the chair as the other person had both lives in there hands by taking such risks

 

[Blade]

I've been totally impressed with the AFS Xenons on my mk2. I,m disappointed that the LED,s don't match up as I will be looking at the mk3 Cupra and don't want to end up with inferior lights.

 

[Fraczish]

For me the performance difference between the LEDS an xenon's is minimal, but aesthetically the LEDs units look superb both when in use and when off, really adds to the front end in my opinion and as far as I'm aware the xenon's look standard when not in use...

 

[robdf2]

I've been totally impressed with the AFS Xenons on my mk2. I,m disappointed that the LED,s don't match up as I will be looking at the mk3 Cupra and don't want to end up with inferior lights.

I really don't think seat is going to offer inferior lights on a 280 bhp Cupra !

I think you will find where the xenons were a narrow beam pattern coupled with the afs on the mk2 they worked well , I have seen a new Leon with led headlights and the whole light unit is just pure white , from my rear view mirror they were bloody bright !
With xenons you can make out the light unit in the headlight with LEDs it's just like a search light , I'm sure the pattern will be more suited to a common headlight , lighting up the whole road and not just a focused beam.

 

[Blade]

I really don't think seat is going to offer inferior lights on a 280 bhp Cupra !

I think you will find where the xenons were a narrow beam pattern coupled with the afs on the mk2 they worked well , I have seen a new Leon with led headlights and the whole light unit is just pure white , from my rear view mirror they were bloody bright !
With xenons you can make out the light unit in the headlight with LEDs it's just like a search light , I'm sure the pattern will be more suited to a common headlight , lighting up the whole road and not just a focused beam.

That's good to know Rob, Merry Xmas.

 

[robdf2]

That's good to know Rob, Merry Xmas.

You too buddy

 

[EyesOnly]

I was originally looking at the MK2 Supercopa but once I had a test drive in a MK3 FR the exterior and interior styling just looked dated in my opinion, plus I always thought having the SatNav positioned so low was a real compromise. I don't have experience of the MK2 Xenon's as I went from a MK1 Cupra Tdi to a MK3 FR, but I have been massively impressed by the illumination levels and clarity of the field of vision generated by LED lights on mine both on dipped and full beam.

 

[DeanC]

Its just basic optics. HIDs are a single light source and depending on the optics will either throw a narrow beam over a great distance or a wide beam over a short distance. The LEDs have 6 or 7 light sources (I can't remember) and each have unique reflectors. Thats why you get great and consistent coverage 180 degrees around the front of the car at all distances.

Merry xmas all.

 

[Suicida1 Zombie]

I did adjust mine up half a turn with no loss of light close up for maneuvering and have not had anyone flash me.

Do you mind me asking how you did this? Kind of wish I could angle mine ever so slightly highter.

 

[DeanC]

Just park somewhere level with a reference like a brick wall or garage door etc. then pop the bonnet and you will see a 6mm hex screw on the top of each light. Half a turn worked well for me.

 

[Suicida1 Zombie]

Just park somewhere level with a reference like a brick wall or garage door etc. then pop the bonnet and you will see a 6mm hex screw on the top of each light. Half a turn worked well for me.

Your a star! Thank you.