Best Fit
VW, Audi, Porsche, and other vehicles using compatible sizes where clean reflector beam behavior, CANBUS friendliness, and a premium warranty matter more than chasing the cheapest LED kit.
Original Test Snapshot
- 7080 reflector low-beam peak lux and 5050 reflector high-beam peak lux at 12 ft.
- 5700K color, 55 glare lux, 105°F running temperature, and 23.0 watts per bulb.
- Lifetime warranty and external-driver fan-cooled design.
This product is no longer listed in the current BulbFacts LED product data. This review remains available for reference; check the current LED recommendations for newer tested options.
Current data note: This page preserves the original 2018 version 1.0 DeAutoLED review. The live chart includes newer DeAutoLED data, including the deNX Gen TR 2.0 entry, so use the current chart for current rankings and modern comparisons.
Newest video roundup: For the latest LED video overview, see The Ultimate LED Headlight Kits of 2023, then use the live chart for current rankings and availability.
In this review, we looked at the DeAutoKey, or DeAutoLED, LED headlight kit. We also compared it with several Amazon LED kits, DeAuto's H7RC HID kit, and the original halogen incandescent bulbs that came stock in the test vehicle.
The goal was simple: test brightness, beam pattern, and color temperature so shoppers had more than marketing claims to go on before spending money on an upgrade.
The kit came in H7, H4, H8, H11, 9005, and 9006 sizes at the time and was especially focused on VWAG vehicles, including Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche applications. If another car or truck uses the same bulb size, the product may still fit, but the original audience was clearly the VW/Audi community.
Fitment, CANBUS Behavior, And Installation
The DeAutoLED kit was positioned as a premium, vehicle-friendly option with easier installation than HID and fewer compatibility headaches than many cheap LED kits.
Measured draw
30-min temp
Fan noise
Installation is fairly easy. Compared with an HID kit, there are fewer components, so there is less to mount and route. Compared with a normal halogen bulb, there are still a few extra steps because of the external driver and cooling hardware.
H7 applications may require a special adapter depending on the vehicle. The old article recommended checking vehicle-specific forums or fitment references before ordering, and that advice still holds up.
One major plus from the original review was compatibility. DeAutoLED designed the kit for vehicles that can be sensitive to bulb-out warnings, and the review noted that it did not trigger dashboard errors in the tested setup.
Reflector Beam Pattern And Brightness
The reflector result is the heart of this review: the kit put light in the right place instead of just scattering brightness everywhere.
Reflector score
Above-reference reflector result with useful measured output. The 5.0 marker shows the reference point.
Beam pattern was the first major test point because reflector housings are unforgiving. Many inexpensive LED kits look bright but place the LED chips poorly, spreading light around the housing, throwing glare at oncoming drivers, and failing to put usable light down the road.
The DeAutoLED kit did a much better job mimicking a halogen bulb's filament position. In the original reflector test, it produced a beam pattern that looked similar to halogen but at a much brighter intensity.
The kit measured 7080 peak lux per bulb at 12 ft in low beam. That was 340% more light, or almost 4.5X brighter, than the stock halogen bulb in that original test setup.
Against the best Amazon kit tested at that time, the Lightning Dark LED, the DeAutoLED was 168% brighter in low beam. Against the popular Cougar Motor LED kit, it was 325% brighter. Compared with upgraded halogen bulbs, the peak brightness and distance were still about 300% higher.
Color Temperature, Price, And Warranty
The DeAutoLED kit tested near its claimed color and stood out with premium support for the era.
DeAutoLED Kelvin
DeAutoLED reflector low beam
Coverage
The DeAutoLED kit claimed 5500K and tested at 5700K, which was close. The color was very near pure white with a slight cool tint, noticeably cleaner and more modern than the warm yellow look of stock halogen bulbs.
Most of the Amazon LED kits in that early comparison leaned much bluer, often at 6000K to 6500K or higher. If you prefer a more blue aftermarket look, those kits may have fit that style better, but the DeAutoLED color was the cleaner white choice in the original review.
At the time, pricing was about $135 after a coupon code and included free shipping. That was not bargain-bin pricing, but the kit came with stronger support and a lifetime warranty, which was unusual compared with the 1- to 3-year warranties commonly seen on Amazon LED kits.
The original review also called out DeAutoLED's customer service and presence in enthusiast forums. For buyers who value support after the sale, that was a real part of the product's appeal.
How It Relates To Current DeAutoLED Data
The original review is useful historically, but the current chart includes newer DeAutoLED products tested on the newer process.
The current LED chart includes DeAutoLED deNX Gen TR 2.0, which is a newer product than the kit reviewed in this 2018 article. That chart entry scores 5.7, with 1283 reflector low lux, 1952 reflector high lux, 5750K color, 4640 lumens, 45.9 watts, and CANBUS-friendly notation.
Because the test procedure changed between the original 12 ft v1 review and the newer chart process, do not compare the old 7080 lux number directly against the current 25 ft chart values. Use the old page for the original review context and the chart for current comparisons.
This product is no longer listed in the current BulbFacts LED product data. This review remains available for reference; check the current LED recommendations for newer tested options.
As always, our tests are independent. We decline paid or sponsored review outcomes, publish the lab details, and let the results decide whether a product belongs on a shortlist.
Full Test Details & Facts For DeAutoLED Premium LED Kit
Original version 1.0 article facts from the 2018 DeAutoLED review.
Original Beam Output
- Reflector low beam lux
- 7080 per bulb at 12 ft
- Reflector high beam lux
- 5050 per bulb at 12 ft
- Low beam pattern rating
- 4.5 stars
- Low beam glare lux
- 55 at 8 in
- Tested Kelvin
- 5700K
Electrical And Thermal
- Wattage
- 23.0 watts per bulb
- Running temperature
- 105°F / 41°C
- Cooling type
- Fan
- Noise
- 62 dB
- DRL / high-beam dimmable
- No
Fitment And Hardware
- Rotatable
- Yes, 90° increments
- Heat sink size
- 32 mm
- LEDs per bulb
- 6
- Direction
- Flat
- Driver type
- External
- Original available sizes
- H7, H4, H8, H11, 9005, 9006
Current DeAutoLED Context
- Current chart product
- DeAutoLED deNX Gen TR 2.0
- Current chart score
- 5.7
- Current reflector low / high
- 1283 / 1952 lux
- Current projector low / high
- Current chart comparison available
- Current chart Kelvin
- 5750K
- Warranty
- Lifetime on original review kit / lifetime notation in current chart
Original facts are from the version 1.0 test bench and should not be compared directly against newer 25 ft chart values. See how we test for current testing procedures.