Car lights have played an important supporting role in design throughout history: straight lines during the machine age; soothing curves after World War II; and now, rippling structures that resemble something from outer space. But no longer is this an afterthought, as manufacturers are making headlights look as distinct as the cars they adorn. It's no wonder, then, that new headlights are a hot seller, with a wide selection from which to choose.

When choosing a new set of lights, look at their advertised working life and brightness. The brighter bulbs can illuminate the road better, but you don't want them so hot that they blind other drivers or cause glare. The working life of LEDs is also worth considering, as they operate 90% more efficiently than incandescent bulbs and generate less heat.

Aiming the new headlights is important, too. You don't want to blind oncoming traffic and you don't want to be pulled over for a headlight violation. You can make sure your low-beams are aimed properly by finding a plain wall and marking both the center of your headlights with a piece of horizontal tape running through them. Then, put a vertical line of tape about two feet long from one end of the mark to the other to determine the lowest part of your headlights' beam.

Then use the adjusters on the back or side of your headlight housing to adjust the position of the headlights, bringing the light closer to the ground or farther away from the ceiling. You may need to turn the adjusters a quarter-turn at a time to find the right spot. Then, repeat the process to find the best position for your high-beams.

If you're looking for LED bulbs to replace your halogens, check your headlight housing to see whether it uses projectors or reflectors. If the housing has a single-beam projector, it won't have a shutter to change the low-beam pattern and you'll need to get a new headlight conversion kit that includes a projector.

The XenonPro LED bulbs from Cougar Motor are a good choice. They're CAN bus-ready and work with most vehicles, plus they feature aluminum housings that soak up the waste heat and a 10,000 RPM TurboCool fan to keep them cool. They're rated at 30 watts and have Cree LED chips that can last up to 50,000 hours. We tested them in our Editor's Pick Mazda and found them to be very bright, with a nice sharp cutoff on both low and high beams, though this will vary by headlight enclosure. They also have a three-year warranty and lifetime support, which is a bonus.