Head To Head Comparison For Two Popular Options From Baja
Accessory lights… we all love them, they are usually one of the first things the new Tacoma owners buys. Whether it’s a gigantic light bar, chase lights or rock lights… or whatever else an overlander finds to throw a light on, we all find ways to add more. With all of the options and standards out there today we’ll be discussing two of the popular and more premium, purpose-built options out there and how to choose between them.
Baja Designs offers a bunch of different accessory and ancillary lighting options that are worth checking out. We got our hands on their Squadron Sports and their SAE fogs for my True North hybrid front bumper, and want to outline some of the differences and details to better help you decide. Both of these come in an OEM replacement kit for the Tacoma and have widely different uses and performance outputs. With the SAE’s being on-road compliant they are tuned to meet DOT standards while the Sports give you unrestrained power – which option is best for you?
Shoutout to SRQ for hooking these up!
Find Them Online
Features & Specs
These lights are essentially the same, with the main difference being in the optics and output power.
Quick Overview
- Billet Aluminum Housing
- Comes in Amber or White
- Built-In Overvoltage Protection
- Water Resistant
- Plug-And-Play Installation (for OEM replacement kits, otherwise they may need some minor wiring)
The only real difference between them are the lumens, 2,420 for the SAE and 3,162 for the Sport. Of course, the SAE’s are compliant to required standards.
Output Comparison
When looking at these two options the largest difference is noticed in the output and beam pattern. While it’s nice to have an SAE compliant fog light (much like the OEM) they don’t have the same amount of output as the Squadron Sport combos. That being said, they are still a major improvement over stock and do a great job providing on and off-road fog coverage.
While the Sports are noticeably brighter and cast a far wider beam pattern, they would definitely be a nuisance to oncoming traffic if you needed to use them on the road. Even with these being properly aimed they cast a wide, bright pattern of light which is great for the trails or if you’re solo on the road, not so much if you’re in rush-hour.
The following sections will highlight output shots from the sky via drone and on a garage wall for an eye level perspective.
OEM Halogen Headlights Only
SAE Only
Sport Only
OEM Headlights + SAE
SAE + Sport
OEM Headlights + SAE + Sport
OEM Halogen Headlights Only
SAE Only
Sport Only
OEM Headlights + SAE
SAE + Sport
OEM Headlights + SAE + Sport
How to Choose?
Having read through the differences and seeing the output shots, how do you choose which is right for you? As with most things it comes down to personal preference and application.
Do you want to run your fog lights all the time or do you use them only when needed? If you’re swapping these just to upgrade your daily driver, the SAE’s might be the better choice. Though they both come with a plug and play harness the SAEs come with the added peace of mind that you are DOT compliant on the road and if you’re only running one of these, they are likely a better option.
For people further into their builds or those with an aftermarket bumper with room for more lights, the Sport might be a better option for you, you know where you’ll be taking your rig and sometimes you need all the lighting you can get. If you’re like me, and have mounting locations for multiple fog lights, adding both is ideal. With both you can run fogs on the road with the SAE pair and compliment them with the Sports when you need ALL the lights you can get.
It all comes down to intention, personal preference and how you use your truck.
Final Thoughts
Baja Designs has come out with some awesome products over the years and the recent release of their SAE compliant fogs has been a great addition to their selection. I was all too excited to get my hands on a pair of these and finally be able to run fog lights (legally) on the road. Paired with the Sports there’s not much left to be desired from a lighting standpoint (aside from the OEM headlights) both on and off-the trail. They come with a limited lifetime warranty which, I can say from experience, Baja honors.
If you’re replacing the OEM fog lights and looking for a plug and play system, the SAE fogs from Baja are a seriously solid choice and couldn’t recommend them enough. If you’re looking for something with a little more juice, go with the Sports and if you can’t make up your mind throw them both on there and you really can’t go wrong.
