What's safer during the day - DRL or headlights ?

This depends on your latitude and time of year but usually low beams isn't a bad idea because, as you've surmised, it keeps the taillights on and you're also prepared for any weather.

If you have DRLs, then you have to remember to switch on your parking lights (minimum) or low beams during rainy weather where visibility is reduced or depending on the year, sometimes overcast skies can reduce light that it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the taillights on (so parking or low beam).

But yeah if you want a one-stop solution, then low beams work since you have "AUTO OFF" and the car will turn the lights off automatically (IIRC). Also, the taillights are low power LEDs anyway


FWIW to anyone reading, my car is 7.5 years old with DRLs (mandatory in Canada). It uses the high beams at reduced intensity (see Mendel's post above for a pic) and I haven't replaced my high beams yet. They still work nice and bright at night (just completed a road trip earlier this month with a decent amount of night driving each day in varying weather conditions).

Probably the same people that say "wow the rain is heavy!" and only have their wipers on INT setting (for whatever reasons. Wiper blades cost waaay less than a new bumper).

Gen 2s have a dual-filament bulb headlight system. The DRLs are low beams at (slightly) reduced intensity. High beams is simply passing power to the second filament to increase light. (I think the bulb moves to point the high beams further down the road.... I forget now)

You sure? Your Gen 3's DRLs are high beams at reduced intensity (unless you imported it from the US, then it uses LEDs at the lower corners of the front bumper)

 

Yeah I'm not sure either. 2010-2011 models also didn't have automatic headlights. It was introduced in 2012 with the midlife update and only on Four and Five models.

That being said, when you guys got LED DRLs, Canada didn't and we relied on reduced intensity high beam for 2012-2015 even though the US had LED DRLs.

My guess is the cost of certification of the LED DRLs.

 

Hmm, that might be why they weren't used in Canada - perhaps they don't meet the minimum lumens required for DRLs. (I think there's also a height requirement so it's possible they're not tall enough or mounted high enough)

 

I'm talking about the US.

Yeah you have AUTO-OFF.

Four and Five models have AUTO ON and OFF (or automatic headlights.. i.e. they have an "AUTO" position on the headlight stalk).