Headlights like no other
If you drive a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6, you've probably noticed your car draws attention. Both EVs look genuinely different from what came before, and a lot of that has to do with the headlights. The Ioniq 5 has tiny pixelated light elements. The EV6 has its signature daytime running lights. Either way, the lights are a deliberate part of how the vehicle looks.
But behind the design is a less comfortable reality: these headlight assemblies are among the most expensive to replace on the consumer market. That fact should change how you think about maintaining them.
Why replacement costs so much
On a mid-range conventional vehicle, replacing a headlight assembly runs about $400 to $800 per unit, parts and labor included. On the Ioniq 5 and EV6, you're looking at $1,200 to $2,000 per headlight, sometimes more depending on the dealer and parts availability.
A few things explain the gap. The LED modules are built directly into the assembly, so you're not just swapping out a bulb. The design requires more complex engineering to manufacture. And because these models are still relatively new, aftermarket suppliers haven't caught up yet, which leaves you with few options outside the dealership.
As we cover in our article on luxury car headlights like BMW, Audi, and Mercedes, vehicles with advanced technology carry a very different financial risk when something goes wrong. The Ioniq 5 and EV6 fall squarely into that category.
The lens ages, even on LED headlights
A lot of people assume that a new car, or an electric one, is safe from yellowing. That assumption can get expensive.
The part that yellows isn't the light source. It's the polycarbonate lens covering the assembly. That lens takes the same punishment as any other vehicle: Quebec's UV exposure, road gravel, winter salt. Polycarbonate degrades. It's a chemical process, it's gradual, and it doesn't matter whether you're driving a Corolla or an EV6.
On these models, degradation often becomes visible around 2 to 4 years in, especially if the car sits outside regularly. For a clearer picture of why this material is so vulnerable, this article on polycarbonate and yellowing breaks down what's actually happening at the surface.
Preventive restoration: the math works out
Given what replacement costs, headlight restoration is an easy call financially. A professional restoration typically runs $100 to $200 for both headlights, depending on condition and finish. Compare that to $2,000 to $4,000 to replace both assemblies, and the savings are hard to ignore.
The best time to act is before things get bad. When the lens is just starting to lose clarity, a preventive restoration brings it back to near-new condition and buys more life out of the assembly. Waiting until the damage is severe still gets results, but it could have cost less had you caught it earlier.
Not sure where your headlights stand? The 5 signs it's time to restore your headlights apply just as much to an EV6 as to any other model.
A service that comes to you
One thing EV owners tend to value is convenience. Phares Auto Mobile comes to you, at home or at work, and does the restoration on the spot. No trip to the dealership, no leaving the car all day.
For a vehicle you rely on daily for work or family driving, that matters. The work takes about an hour.
If you want to protect what those headlights are worth, book an appointment at pharesautomobile.ca. We service the Montreal area and surrounding regions.
