Does the mirror light work independently from the car's cabin lights?

Yes. The integrated LED mirror has its own circuit and switch — it illuminates separately, so you can use it anytime without triggering main interior lighting.

Will this mount using my current visor rod, or do I need new hardware?

It mounts directly to your factory visor rod. The pivot pins slide into the existing bracket on your headliner — no extra fasteners or modifications required.

What condition does this arrive in—is it ready to install straight from the box?

Yes, it ships fully assembled and ready to mount. Just remove your old visor, slide the new one onto the rod, and secure the pivot clips.