[doodlebug]

I thought the lights were terrible in a 2 day loaner (in the UK) I had back in November - the matrix function is at best clumsy and dim-witted, at worst way too slow to react and hence potentially dangerous. The active led (ie matrix) headlights i have on my XC90 are orders of magnitude better so careful what you wish for here guys, you will not be impressed

I think the active matrix LEDs in mine are OK. The only dim-witted bit I don't like is the delay in going back to full when they have been dimmed. They certainly don't seem to be slow to react when a car is approaching and I've never been flashed for blinding an oncoming driver.
Compared to other cars with active matrix LEDs that I've driven, the main difference seems to be there are fewer active LEDs so the switching patterns are a bit coarser.

 

[doodlebug]

I just don't understand why they couldn't just add the Matrix LED Projector headlights. It doesn't make sense, and in today's world cars at this price point are not using LED Reflector Headlamps.

Until February this year, LED matrix headlights were illegal in the US. I don't know if they can be retrofitted to models manufactured before this date, or even if Kia have fitted them now.

In the UK, I think only the GT-line S and the GT are fitted with Matrix LED headlights.

In a similar vein regarding US lighting regulations, in 2000, an earlier car of mine was the first production car to have LED tail lights as standard. These were illegal in the US so the car wouldn't get type approval.

In 2003, the manufacturer wanted to re-enter the US market so they were forced to change the tail lights to incandescent bulbs. In the process of making the bulbs fit, the predominant styling feature of the car was destroyed to accommodate out-dated US regulations.

 

[doodlebug]

Yeah, our headlights really are inferior to most cars in this price range. It's one of my only complaints with our EV6.
I've taken hour-long drives the last two nights and tried leaving the brights on the whole time. Not a single car flashed their lights at me.

If I accidentally turn off auto high-beam, I get flashed all the time if I don't turn high-beam off.
I usually leave it on auto and am never flashed.
I find the matrix LED very good, much better than those in my other cars, including one which had lights which physically swivelled with the steering.