It's not just what headlights you've had before, it's also where you drive. In urban areas and on major highways with lighting the huge difference between my Model S and Model 3 headlights doesn't matter. It's only when I get out into rural areas where the difference suddenly becomes a game changer.
I didn't used to spend as much time in rural areas as I do now, so I never had reason to prioritize fancy headlights before. I'd been in plenty of cars with fancier headlights and besides the different color tone, they didn't make much practical difference when the roads are already lit. Now that I do a lot more driving on rural roads, yes, big difference!
This is key here. Couldn't have agreed more.
Under street-lighted condition, just about any headlights will do the trick. So well, in fact, some people inadvertently drive without headlights on and not realize it!
This all quickly changes for the worse when there is little to no street lighting for significant stretches,
you are the only car on the road in either direction (i.e. no buddy lighting), and crucially the
road is not straight and unfamiliar. Add weather element(s) and it all quickly snowballs (no pun intended).
After all, there's a reason why IIHS rated the Model S headlights 'poor', their lowest rating.
I will also point out it is more about contrast and clarity than it is about outright brightness and coverage of the beam. Part of the issue with the Model S headlight is the extreme un-uniformity within the primary coverage area (i.e. tons of hot & cool spots). There are also extreme glares and spread off-primary zone. Jointly they cast a confusing texture over the road and objects, thus reducing overall visual contrast and clarity. Again, you will not realize this unless you're operating in a subpar environment.
This by the way was Tesla's own doing -- trying to be too crafty by moving to a multi-element LED design with poorly engineered reflective shapes and surfaces. Inexperience at the time, perhaps? I think they've learned and improve drastically since -- case in point, Model 3/Y. It's only now they have rolled out the same for the Model S. Maybe the intention all along was to include it with every 2021.5+ (refreshed) S/X, but the pandemic got in the way, along with the tilting screens, extended ambiance lighting, etc., but I digress.
