The Jeep Wrangler is a mainstay of American off-roading and is often the first vehicle that comes to mind when they think of a four wheel drive sports utility vehicle. Jeeps in general also have a cult-like following, and if you don’t believe me, you can look at the countless “Jeep” tire covers with the phrase “it’s a Jeep thing” for further evidence. So it makes sense that Jeep-specific accessories would exist, if only to further the perception that Jeep owners have of their unique status among all other drivers. All joking aside, if you do plan on driving your Jeep Wrangler off-road, you’ll probably want better headlights to see obstacles and the path in front of you more clearly, in addition to whatever gigantic light bar that you choose to invest in for extra clout. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best Jeep Wrangler headlights.
Best Jeep Wrangler Headlights Reviews & Recommendations
LX-LIGHT Cree LED Headlights and Fog Lights
Halogen light bulbs are so passe, or so people tell me. They’re fragile, consume a lot of power for what they put out, and burn out at seemingly the most inconvenient times. The solution to this is to use light-emitting diodes, more commonly known as LEDs, which solve all these problems by being power-efficient, long-lasting, and having an overall whiter temperature of light for better imaging at night. The Cree LED lights by LX-LIGHT offer a drop-in solution to convert your Wrangler lights into more modern LEDs, giving you every benefit with a minor cost to you.
For less than $100, you get a brighter, more power-efficient, cooler-running solution, and one that simply drops directly into your existing mounts with no added hardware. They have a 4,500-lumen high beam, a 3,200-lumen low beam, and come with 1,600-lumen fog lights, all featuring a 50,000-hour lifespan. A built-in EMC is used to remove any LED flickering, and installation is a cinch given they just drop in.
PROS
- Compatible with 1997-2017 Jeep Wrangler models
- Affordable headlights
- Clear lenses
CONS
- Wiring harness could be better
DVISUV 5×7 LED Jeep Wrangler YJ/Cherokee XJ Headlights
Let’s say you’re an old-timer who insists that Jeep “used to be real” and talks about how if your Jeep features AC, it’s not a real Jeep. You wish pop tops on beer cans were still a thing, you unironically record your Spotify playlist to cassette tapes so that you can have the original stereo head intact, and you probably have a mullet. The point is that not every light kit is going to be for the newer-model Wranglers, and sometimes your Jeep doesn’t have to be entirely period-correct.
This kit from DVISUV offers 8,000 lumens of output on high beams, 5,000 on low, and fits directly into the housings that came with your vehicle, which makes it that much easier. For all you Cherokee XJ dorks who are lurking on this article, yes, these fit that too. In essence, you’re getting LED bulbs that vastly outperform the stock lights for the cost of a nice dinner for two, and that are bright enough so that you can actually use your Wrangler for offroading as much as you say you do.
PROS
- Fits all car types with 5×7 inch square headlights
- One-year warranty
- Exceptional value
CONS
- Soft lenses
- Confusing setup with no instructions included
- No anti-fog system
JW Speaker J2 Black Jeep Wrangler Headlights
You probably post memes to your social media where you say “I’d rather have a $200,000 Jeep than a $200,000 Ferrari” and say similar things about campfires vs. nightclubs, blue jeans vs. suits, and spending over $400 on headlights for your Jeep Wrangler vs…not spending that. If that’s true for you, this is the headlight option for the Jeep driver who’s serious about making sure they’ve got the sweetest ride on or off the highway.
These things from JW are feature-rich, with flicker resistance, dual-beam output, and all the certifications you could ever need for North American adventures. The beams are tightly focused, giving you 1,260 effective lumens of output power, which are neatly broken down into the manufacturer’s spec sheet in raw lumens, effective lumens, candela, beam focus, and color temperature, which gives me a lot of confidence about their attention to detail. These are lights that you buy once, and your wallet cries once, and if you’ve got the money to spend on them, then you definitely should.
PROS
- Impact-resistant Polycarbonate lenses and durable housing
- Clear, focused light pattern
- Built-in lens de-icing
- Officially certified by a number of governing bodies
CONS
- Very pricey
- Only compatible with 2007 or newer Jeeps
- Mounting rings not included
SUNPIE LED Jeep Wrangler Headlights
These are headlights in the same way that illuminated undercarriages are normal running lights. If you buy these, you’re very, very form-focused as a Jeep owner, and that’s okay, because we’ve got the option for you. The SUNPIE lights allow you to turn your Jeep into KITT from Knight Rider, offering LED lighting that can be adjusted for color and pattern with the flick of a switch on a mobile app.
These lights aren’t just one-trick ponies, however. They are fully SAE and DOT approved as headlights, offering output that puts all but the most powerful halogen bulbs to shame. Additionally, they offer easy installation, including everything you need to install them on your post-2007 Wrangler. They also feature a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, have internal cooling fans for better heat dissipation, and can illuminate the road ahead up to 150 yards.
PROS
- Long lifespan of 50,000 hours
- Illuminates the road up to 150 yards ahead of your vehicle
- Internal cooling fan to expel heat
CONS
- Setting up the halo colors may be a bit challenging
- Not enough information on the instruction manual
Xprite 85W Jeep Wrangler Headlights
Up until now, the headlights we’ve listed here have featured plastic housings, which, while durable, won’t be enough for a certain subset of our readership. The kind of people who think old metal cars were “just better” than modern cars with their carbon fiber and composite body panels. You want metal, you want something out of the earth, and the XPrite 85W has that for you for that extra peace of mind. These lights are dual-mode, replacing not only your headlights but also your turn signals, allowing you to have the feature of lights that become turn signals for a brief few minutes, letting everyone know that yeah, you’ve got cool headlights.
The aluminum housing isn’t just for show, either, allowing much better heat dissipation, a lack of cracking or warping in hot temperatures, and resistance to impacts. In addition to all these factors, it’s truly plug-and-play, which means that you can have these things installed in a number of minutes. Build quality specs aside, these lights are no slouch in their primary function of lighting the road, offering 4,000 raw lumens of output in high beam mode, and offering four total modes of operation, namely high beam, low beam, daytime white running, and the amber turn signal mode. As the cherry on the durability sundae though, these lights are IP67 rated as well, which means they can go wherever you and your Jeep can.
PROS
- Lightweight, weatherproof aluminum body enables cooling and durability
- Halo lights are relatively brighter than other headlights
- 50,000 hours of run time
CONS
- No fog light settings included
- Passengers side headlight can have issues
Coolest Design
“Isn’t the Ovotor that thing where babies come from?” No. What it IS is a truly unique-looking headlight package that took the decision to make their daytime running lights vaguely V-shaped, and they’re convinced that this will make your driving experience better. Well, that’s not the only reason they think so. Some other reasons might be the built-in anti-flicker functions, the 5,000 lumens of raw output power, the aluminum housing for added durability and heat dissipation, and the IP67 water resistance rating.
Point is, these are a really cool way to add some visual interest to the front end of your Wrangler without resorting to the “angry eyes’ front cover, or the multi-colored RGB headlights mentioned above. To make matters even better, these are ready to install with no extra hardware needed. Unfortunately, there are issues with brightness consistency between headlights, finish issues, and the beams being too high, so you may have to shim the headlights to get them to fit properly and have the right convergence point.
PROS
- Over 50,000 hours of running lifespan
- Efficient heat dissipation
- IP67 water resistance
CONS
- May have to be modified to fit perfectly
- Inconsistency with driver and passengers seat headlights
- LEDs can project light a bit too high
How We Selected Jeep Wrangler Headlights
Jeep accessories range far and wide, as Jeep enthusiasts demand so. It’s practically written into a Jeep owner’s DNA that they must satisfy their need to accessorize their 4×4 in some way, shape, or form. As such, there are a lot of headlights to fit the Jeep Wrangler. Like, a lot. In the end, we went through dozens upon dozens of available options and narrowed it down to the selection you see above by examining build quality, manufacturer, place of manufacture, features, and price. We dropped a lot, but that’s so you don’t drop off a cliff because your Wrangler’s lights failed.
Our product selections, rankings, and awards for this story are based on research. While we haven’t conducted real-world testing on all of these products yet, we’ve looked at consumer testimonials and data, tutorials, and general discussions on social media and in forums. We also consider price and specification in the context of the segment. And, of course, we rely on our institutional knowledge of the automotive landscape to weed out weak products
Buying Guide/What to Look For
Before jumping on the ‘new headlights train,’ there are a few things you should take into consideration.
Harness
An anti-flickering harness is a device that prevents LEDs from flickering due to the jostling motion of everyday driving, let alone off-roading. If you intend to take your Jeep offroad, this is an absolutely essential feature. LEDs flicker more just due to the fact that they’re a diode on a circuit board, rather than a filament suspended in a noble gas and charged with electrical current.
Materials
Lighter, stronger, cheaper. Pick two. Materials like aluminum offer better heat dissipation and durability over materials like polycarbonate or plastic but are slightly heavier and more expensive. Conversely, plastic options may be lighter and cheaper, but can crack, and don’t dissipate heat as well. Materials like carbon fiber offer strength and weight savings but are obviously going to come at a considerable cost.
Installation
Make sure you’re aware of how the headlights will fit and any tools that you’ll need. For some, it will be a few screws and you’re done. For others, you may need to purchase an entirely separate mount to make it fit. These are things that you should factor into your price consideration. Separate mounts may offer a better fit and better anti-flicker protection as well, so that’s a further complicating factor. As a final note, you should also know if you’ll need an H4 harness or an H13 plug, to ensure that the headlight you’re purchasing is compatible with your specific vehicle.
Fit
This should be an obvious consideration, but we have to say it: Make sure your light is designed for the vehicle that you have. You noticed how we had a headlight specifically for the older YJ-model Wrangler? That’s because they changed the headlight profile after 2007, and so not all headlight kits will work just because they say “Jeep Wrangler.” Additionally, make sure that the kit doesn’t have a ton of reviews saying that they’re out of spec and don’t fit, because then the version of Jeep you have won’t even matter.
Our Top Pick
When in doubt, opt for the LX-LIGHT Cree LED Fog Lights. These offer high performance at a good price, and will fit the needs of most users. For the enthusiast, the JW Speaker J2 Black Jeep Wrangler Headlights are the obvious option because their pedigree alone makes the steep price tag worth it — not to mention the specs.
