Regular Gas vs. Premium Gas | Consumer Reports

[@brandonblack2095]

i put premium on my lawn mower it now mows twice as fast

[@tqdinh2]

Brandon Black 😂

[@shutdfuxkip]

💀💀😂

[@probrotipstv6251]

@Benjamin Burkhardt vtec, baby 😎

[@noelmedina6925]

Premium wont do it but non-ethanol fuel will make your mower run much better

[@finncampeau4922]

Noel Medina r/wooosh

[@birderjohn3396]

Read your owners manual, put in what it asks for. End of story.

[@BradThePitts]

Be careful, any Toyota 2005-2015 with a 4.0L V6 will have terrible engine knock on 87 octane. Unfortunately, a very famous issue.

[@Danielookinfresh]

Exactly if you car says premium you put premium, if it says regular you put regular. What's so hard 😂

[@5stardave]

Have you done an engine tear down to see the effects on the engine after long term use of regular vs premium?

[@brian1157]

Depends on the engine... I've torn into many engines that have ran all kinds of octane. As long as it went with the engines compression ratio they all look the same. Except for TDI engines, they're always full of shit..

[@slowanddeliberate6893]

Premium fuel has special additives to reduce engine sludge. It helps your engine last longer.

[@james64ibm]

It doesn't make a difference - why would it? They burn exactly the same if there is no knocking. If anything, premium is gonna be ever so slightly worse because it usually contains more additives to reach the octane rating, which may or may not form some kind of additional residue.

[@rickevans3959]

No knocks is a good check. Use a good synthetic oil

[@rickevans3959]

@@slowanddeliberate6893 premium just has more tertirary butly ethylene in it to boost the octane read a chemistry book or two and fin out what MBTE is.

[@trevorsmith185]

I always use 94 octane on my Tesla

[@hypdahbirds7771]

But Tesla is electric

[@Omo21000]

@@hypdahbirds7771 they lying

[@amiritayda470]

That’s great

[@Layput]

I use 98 octane which is twice as expensive as 95 octane and I can really notice a huge difference. The engine is not as noisy and the car accelerates much more aggressively and smoothly. Plus when i peek into the combustion chamber, the surfaces of the chamber is almost immaculate. If I ever notice a drop in acceleration, I clean the air filter and use the Abro fuel injector cleaner. It is cheaper than Chevron Techron and really does increase the performance. You can't convince me otherwise.

[@davinp]

Don't waste money buying premium gas when your car requires regular gas. Check your owner's manual. Usually, only the more expensive, larger or luxury sedans require premium

[@andrewnyynyj]

Davin Peterson and sports cars

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Technically speaking an engine's compression ratio objectively determines the requirement for premium because its higher octane properties prevent detonation or "knocking" which can quickly damage an engine and higher compression engines therefore require premium. Any turbocharged engine should use at least mid grade although knock sensors can allow the use of regular by altering ignition timing this comes at a cost of power and mileage.

[@mithicash1444]

2016 Nissan Sentra here. Used regular gas from random gas stations for the first 2 years. For that last year and a half, I have been strictly using Costco Premium. Change from Regular gas from random gas stations to Regular from Costco increased my mpg by about 20%. When I went from Costco Regular to Costco Premium probably another 10% mpg plus my engine became much quieter and smoother including better acceleration. Moral of the story, there definitely is a difference between the quality of gasoline between different brands of gas stations, there is also a difference between regular and premium. I have even been asked if my car was a hybrid/electric due to how quietly it idles. PS: My UM recommends 87.

[@Alisters_Adventures]

That’s because Costco sells top tier gas. It’s not because of the different octane rating.

[@agpawpaw5912]

There’s no miracle gas station which will increase mpg by 20%.

[@nayudusrini]

I am not sure what kind of cars Consumer reports really tested with Regular Gas vs Premium. Quite few cars take advantage of Premium (high Octane rating) in delivering more performance and delivering more mileage, esp cars with variable valve timing. If you read some of the Honda and Mazda statements, they do quote different Horse power ratings with Premium Gas. This is considerable amount of change. Several years ago I mistakenly filled my relatively new car with Premium and did not know I filled premium. I felt real gain in acceleration(also felt smoother) and surprisingly 10% plus gas mileage increase. I was not sure why. Next stop on return trip I filled at the same gas station usual regular grade. With in few minutes of driving I can see the difference how car is not accelerating as smooth as before, and saw decline in mileage also. Scratching my head, after going home while filing away my gas receipts, saw difference price per gallon, which turned out to be because of premium fill. But this alone did not convince me, because I know there is no difference in energy density of Regular vs Premium and car does not recommend or require premium. So after that I tested various combinations and found most of times the additional cost of Premium gas is covered by additional mileage I am getting. Did same test another car, which gained little in mileage or performance but not enough to cover the cost of difference. So moral of the story is, don't take Consumer reports as gospel and what they tell may/may not apply to your car or situation. Experiment your self, and know the difference and use your judgment. Initially I did not believe Premium would make any difference as there is no energy density difference, and unless the car is capable of leveraging additional compression ratio/knock resistance. A mistake gave me opportunity to explore and realize this.

[@MrMagnuminium]

I get 14.5p 100k (455K) in my Dodge nitro with premium. I get 18p 100 k (366k)with regular. I have proven it to myself over and over with the same drive. 89 extra K using premium. gas right now is 1.79 for regular (118.14$ to fill) that is 32 cents a k. Premium is 1.99 (131.34$ to fill) that is 28 cents a K. this is raw facts. cleaner and better all around. it is not wasted money... The gas company wants you to buy filler!!!!!!!!!!!!! its cheaper to make.

[@TimJoseph08031990]

If your car has a turbocharger, supercharger, or a naturally aspirated engine with a higher compression ratio, such as Mazda SKY-ACTIV engine, then you have to use premium gasoline, even if the manual says use regular.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Technically speaking an engine's compression ratio objectively determines the requirement for premium because its higher octane properties prevent detonation or "knocking" which can quickly damage an engine and higher compression engines therefore require premium. Any turbocharged engine should use at least mid grade although knock sensors can allow the use of regular by altering ignition timing this comes at a cost of power and mileage. It's best to follow manufacturer's directions.

[@josephlim8941]

In Canada, consumer experts ran the same numbers and resulted in same result as you did. And they noted on the wording on the Gas cap as a simple guideline. However, my Audi A3 2.0T gas cap read Required. But when I pulled out my owners manual. It suggest to use 91 but you can use 87. The only issue with the lower octane is you may not be getting the optimal performance. So I just use 87 but if I’m going onto some spirited back roads driving, I could use 91.

[@the_batmobile0.4]

My personal experiences I find my car accelerates faster with premium gas ...

[@willytrouble88]

unless you're running 100+ octane aviation gasoline, you will not notice any performance difference between 87 vs 93. If you do, it's all in your head.

[@Trades46]

Waiting for that guy who claims his Mercedes runs fine on 87 octane...

[@thetechnician5857]

Hahaha I have a c32 amg my wife put 87 in once hasn't driven my car since ran like shit and ate fuel got like 200 miles on a tank. I gotta run 93 or better hahaha but there will be that moron I'm sure.

[@ombhardwaj9197]

My Mercedes runs fine on 87

[@GUYANESEGT]

my mercedes runs fine on octane 87, because i gave up on the piece of shit and figured it's not worth the premium fuel it needs

[@penvon]

Trades46 I saw a lady putting 87 octane in her Porsche 911

[@noelmedina6925]

I run my Mercedes on a mix of engine oil, old ATF, and diesel. It's an 82 with the 5 cylinder diesel though.

[@rockshi8933]

Ran an Audi over 3 years filling only 87. No issues from the fuel. Did modify my fuel system though to make it more compatible. Fuel pump, fuel filter (external addition), spark plug regap) Everything else was stock. NA engine, no boost. Owned car from 185,000km - 315,000km.

[@LuckyDuckie115]

I'll save more by not going to Starbucks once a week

[@Smartproductstt]

still true in 2024.

[@tylerlately]

😂😂😂

[@AH-bm4ts]

So that's why the clubs only have 2 grades, regular and premium. That's all stations need and I remember a 7-11 gas station in Texas had several grades to pick from like the pump thought it was a soda fountain.

[@TheAdventureAuto]

A lot of times vehicles are advertised as having a certain horsepower number when using regular, and a higher horsepower number when using premium. Did you test those vehicles to see if it is accurate? And does the cars computer take time to adjust to the different ratings. Did you give the computer enough time to adjust when doing your tests? I tried using regular in a vehicle that said premium was recommended(ND Miata), and it felt so incredibly sluggish that I immediately went back to premium.

[@BLacknesmonstaz]

I'm glad Mike uses the proper terminology "fuel" And not gas. Bravo

[@scott4172]

Why? Gasoline is a type of fuel .

[@motsorejola7949]

Why am i watching this, I don’t even have a car

[@AlAl-wu7mp]

I use 87 in my Mercedes 2021 GLC300 with 43,675 miles on it and drive back and forth from S.C. to N.J. It runs great at 80 MPH no pinging ( the computer will adjust the timing and the compression is low enough for it) had the oil analyzed and it was good. You decide.

[@Consolethumbs]

Quick tip if you want to make sure your getting premium gas at the gas station look where the tankers refill the tanks in the ground the “RED CAPS” in the ground represent the premium gas tank if there is no red cap and all are silver metal caps your getting screwed over. 👍🏻 have a nice day

[@davidnielson9139]

One thing you miss about mid-grade -- and where it does appear to be necessary -- is in the mountains. Typically, Regular gas in higher altitude areas is only 85 Octane . To get 87 Octane, you have to buy the mid-grade gas. It is "required," at least for some cars, by the manufacturer to run 87 Octane -- so these people should likely be buying mid-grade gas.

[@Iceflkn]

If power and mileage fail to change, what about engine life, wear and tear?

[@bendino9016]

my personal experience... non-turbo 4 bangers ran the same (performance/mpg) on either fuel, but anything with a turbo, or 6-8 cylinders ran better on premium (performance/mpg).

[@mrniz461]

Interesting I’ll have to try premium for the first time then

[@robertjohnson2581]

The higher has much better cleaners such as shell.

[@MrMetsfann]

What about the 3rd Gen Lexus RX 350? The 2010 & 2011 model years recommend Premium fuel, but the 2012 has the same engine, with no other changes noted, and they say Regular is okay? Is it actually okay to use Regular in the '10 & '11?

[@johnm3152]

Never even noticed the word "reccomended". Thanks for the $avings!

[@rbrauto1]

JUST PISSED IN MY TANK. I'LL SEE IF ALL THAT JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK UPS MY PERFORMANCE AND MPG.

[@EternalLust]

How's that Flexfuel working out so far?

[@SilverScarletSpider]

It makes sense. That’s why Acura performance luxury cars usually are faster than Honda cars when stock, because Acura’s vehicles are tuned to require premium octane in their engines they can give you more responsiveness and horsepower. Always follow your manufacturer’s owner’s manual.

[@BTC909]

Did you run several tanks of Premium fuel? The computer doesn't adjust instantly.

[@GoGoggansGo]

Ivan Vojt it takes 2-4 tanks for the car to adjust the knock sensors for the higher octane

[@james2042]

They claimed to use an in line fuel meter meaning independent.

[@mr.boostang2064]

Check the manual, If it says Use 87oct=use +87oct premium recommended=use +91oct Use premium only=use +91oct Engines aren't cheap so dont cheap out on your engine, give it the fuel it needs to run properly.

[@bigdaddymak1439]

Would be nice if you'd explain the proper reason some vehicles need higher octane!! It's not because of tuning that they need it it's heat caused by higher compression ratios and forced induction! That heat causes pre ignition when using 87 octane! So higher the octane the higher the temperature the fuel will ignite itself without a spark! Gas companies should not be allowed to call it premium because there's nothing premium about it!!

[@STho205]

67th law of aquisition Don't be afraid to mislabel a product. Remember"Hi Test"

[@terryl9996]

They call it premium because it contains higher level of detergency

[@joshc606]

Tuning changes the timing through the ECM thus tuning does have a lot to do with the octane. Example; A Honda Accord with the 2.4 K24 engine is rated at 188HP or so. Now that very same engine in a Acura TSX is rated at 201HP but requires 91. The engine is exactly the same minus the fact that the timing has been increased which is computer controlled.

[@210david52]

That's too technical the average consumer doesn't care about that

[@tzwc3571]

What they fail to tell you. Not all regular gasoline are the same , Top tier has more additives that reduces carbon build up! Some brand produce slightly higher combustion energy.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

There's a reason they didn't mention that: BECAUSE IT'S NOT EVEN REMOTELY TRUE. All modern gasoline (regardless of brand/octane) is loaded with cleaning agents. The last time you heard someone had engine trouble because their gasoline didn't have enough additives? Never.

[@Maserati7200]

Thomas Ferrugia - I generally use top tier (Shell, Mobil, BP, Exxon, etc) because their detergent additives are supposedly a lot better than the minimal federal standards. But I do agree that it’s overstated. All gasoline in your area comes from the same refinery. The difference between each brand is the additive package the refinery adds at the end. It’s more important to go to a gas station with newer pumps that look well maintained, so you get as little sediment as possible. And no ToppCat, no gasoline has appreciably more energy content than others. Actually, higher octane fuel is actually less energy dense than regular because of extra detergents and octane boosters. Octane boosters don’t add energy, they just make gas more resistant to knock.

[@mynameissamfisher]

2011 mazdaspeed3 50,000 miles, premium required.. i use regular.. it works fine....let the haters begin

[@mithicash1444]

Its a mazda...

[@Ryan-fb1ot]

Mazda use any type of fuel ftw

[@bobdeengineer7396]

I pull the cylinder head at around 150,000 miles to change out a $16 head gasket and clean out the carbon build up since I am in there. Head gasket is main reason I get in there as preventative maintenance. Since is am an unemployed engineer I use my car as an independent contractor delivering for UberEATS and Amazon flex, so car needs to be dependable.

[@BradThePitts]

My Toyota 2011 Tacoma 4.0L V6 knocks under acceleration @1300-1800 rpm when using the recommended 87 fuel. 89 solves the problem. 91 is needed in the summer. Common problem with all V6 Tacomas 2005-2015.

[@BradThePitts]

Once a month I use 87 plus a bottle of Lucas Fuel Injector and Gas Treatment. Same octane boost, same overall price for the tank of gas, and hey, the additive just might clean the system! It costs about $2 a bottle if you buy it by the gallon, the same price of a tank of 89 vs. 91 octane.

[@yobiboo6840]

So I bought a car in December, the gas door says premium only but I couldn’t find a gas station that had that.Finally today I did at Zippy J’s. The owner used regular I have a 2000 celica, I have been using regular but today I started using premium will I mess up anything ?

[@Consolethumbs]

Clearly a Acura TLX but higher compression engines like Honda and Acura should have higher octane fuel that’s just facts. but if you use regular fuel you will probably lose out on some power especially in turbocharged cars.

[@mrniz461]

CONSOLETHUMBS - hmmm interesting I think the manuals say to use regular? But if I do use premium, is it ok to mix it with the regular gas that’s already in the car tank?

[@Maserati7200]

CONSOLETHUMBS - funny, my cousin has the exact same car, 2015 TLX with the 4 cylinder. Yeah only 4 cylinders but high compression, 200 HP out of 2.4 liters NA. He came from an accord before it. It said it required premium and he was skeptical at first. When he used reguLar instead of premium, he didn’t notice knocking, but performance was drastically cut. When the computer notices regular it slows down engine timing to prevent damage. Now he puts 89 at least, if not 91. I always tell people, use regular if your car takes regular. Use premium if it requires it. If it “recommends” premium I’d just see what works best.

[@bl8danjil]

1:54 I wish we had those gas prices in California. As of now it is over 4 dollars in the Bay Area, where Silicon Valley is. Southern California has it around $3.77 per gallon. Special thanks to CA state legislator effort in pushing through a higher gas tax without public knowledge and thank you fellow citizens that voted in the 2018 midterms to keep it. /s

[@stevenyia2778]

Komfornia

[@mowcowbell]

Holy cow... just paid $2.30 for 87 octane E10 in OKC.

[@Samuelfish2k]

bl8danjil I paid $4.35 per gallon today in LA.

[@driverisaac4806]

your welcome 😊 we're getting a new bridge to connect two of our beaches. what is your town doing with the money?

[@VicInCommentSection]

CR, please give us a definitive answer on whether different brands of gas are the same (e.g., Shell, Chevron, Costco, Arco).

[@MrMagnuminium]

I get 14.5p 100k (455K) in my Dodge nitro with premium. I get 18p 100 k (366k)with regular. I have proven it to myself over and over with the same drive. 89 extra K using premium. gas right now is 1.79 for regular (118.14$ to fill) that is 32 cents a k. Premium is 1.99 (131.34$ to fill) that is 28 cents a K. this is raw facts. cleaner and better all around. it is not wasted money... The gas company wants you to buy filler!!!!!!!!!!!!! its cheaper to make.

[@EternalLust]

Acura is infamous for "requiring" premium fuel. I just use it because it says it's required. It doesn't say recommend for me. I hardly have any issues with my car. A lot of people debate this but I am not the type that wants to have my car misfiring or having engine problems later down the line.

[@blazbohinc4964]

I use premium fuel because it makes my car run smoother due to cleaner combustion and because it’s a much cleaner fuel in general. And I do care weather I’ll have to clean my intake valves or not because of poor quality fuel usage. Is there a difference in fuel consumption? I think there is, yes. But I’ve had my car tuned to take advantage of it.

[@joeybonin7691]

If your engine has 10:1 compression ratio, and a four barrel carb, chances are good you better use premium. My test is a 15% grade and moderate throttle. If I can barely hear the valves chatter it's just right.

[@RB01138]

Not that this would matter to most people but you should also use premium with two stroke engines as most lower octane fuels have ethanol in them which is extremely hard on them. There are fuel additives you can buy to counteract this but they may not always be available.

[@Nickodarius]

High octane has ethanol as well

[@elithegreat6463]

There’s no doubt that in most cars, you do feel a difference in 93 to 87, with the 93, there is a “peppier” Real world feel to the driving.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

Wrong. Cars that are designed to run on 87 see absolutely no benefit whatsoever with higher octanes. The cars still burn the higher grade fuels AS IF they were 87 octane. All of the additional potential energy is wasted.

[@AkioWasRight]

Placebo effect

[@randomrazr]

do you get better mileage out of premium on a vehicle that normally uses regular?

[@ThomasFerrugia]

None at all. A car designed to run on 87 will still burn the 91 as if it were 87. All of that additional potential energy stored in the 91 gasoline is wasted.

[@AntilleanConfederation]

Compression ratio is why higher octane is needed. If your car is designed to run on regular stay with regular. If you have a turbo car or high compression / usually over 10 than use premium.

[@avocadobread5806]

Thank you for this, I'm using my uncles car to get around ( I'm paying for gas) but he says i NEED to use the good gas to save money. But i knew that wasn't the case.

[@TheTechCguy]

Use something that just needs regular. You don't get that cash back and it's a non renewable resource. Plus, there are lots of cars and trucks these days out there that ride like luxury cars but just need 87 octane.

[@thisismagacountry1318]

My Dad bought Premium for his Ford Taurus. I told him that was only for the Taurus SHO, but he continued using premium. Some Dads don't listen.

[@TheAnzero]

In Finland 95 octane is regular and 98 is premium

[@bonafidenation4460]

gas is gas unless your car requires premium

[@tdkleffman]

Do you guys plan to ever test E30 ethanol?? E30 is widely available in my area, and is 94 octane, which is outstanding! Local companies say that you can safely use E30 in non-flex fuel vehicles built since about 2005. Would like your take on this!!

[@theevermind]

89 octane exists for older cars that start to knock on regular. Then you have an option to stop it knocking without going full premium.

[@megainfinity8.975]

I put 30% vegetable oil and 70% regular gasoline in my car so that the 30% can mix with the gas and bc its cheaper i save more money that way, works perfectly fine

[@francisrillera2788]

i'm a bit confused..the owner's manual says to put premium but the gas cover says to put regular gas..which one will i follow?

[@H33t3Speaks]

Sure things CS. $400 a year v. Injectors, Cats, Turbo, PCV, Valves... I'm not a rich man but I know I can afford $400 per year over needing to really deal with a single one of those things for basically any vehicle. Quick math: 1 Tank = 400Mi = 18USG. 10 Tanks = 4kMi = 180USG. 100 Tanks = 1800USG = 40,000Mi. 3x18=54, 1 Tank = ~$54. 54x100=5400 ==> 100 Tanks at $3 gallon costs about $5400. That's 2 years worth of gas, as per NHTSA average. The labor to do one of those jobs is typically about a grand if you want it done right, and then you have parts and the risk that other things break while the repair is being made... plus in the inconvenience of it being in the shop. Sum all that up then figure out the easy easy way to avoid all that (mostly, Lord willing) is to use excellent fluids at the correct intervals and there's no way around concluding that some extra shekels towards excellent fuel/fluid is the way to go.

[@1FiftyOverland]

If you have a turbo veh always use premium, always.

[@birderjohn3396]

Southern Nevada offroading and back country Nope

[@louism8217]

Sound advice. My Mustang Ecoboost definitely runs better on premium fuel. I'm using 91 octane nets more power and better fuel economy.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

Incorrect. The turbo spools up from exhaust gases being re-routed through the turbine (ie, the fuel's already been burned). The octane rating is completely and totally irrelevant.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

@@louism8217 : That's just a placebo effect.

[@hlee3098]

Premium fuel on small turbo would give better fuel economy, premium fuel on big turbo would give more peak power.

[@sneakysnakepie1]

I have a turbo so yeah use premium. But as long as you use factory recommended octane you'll be ok plus make sure its top tier on the y.

[@Funkydood]

Monticello is pronounced "montichelo". Just saying.

[@leephil100]

Higher octane fuel burns slower and is designed for engines that have a longer stroke and need fuel to burn slower during the cycle. Short stroke engines need a lower octane fuel since it burns faster. Check your manual!

[@louislopez55]

Not that I need the info but no mention if your engine carbons up and you have to use premium fuel to keep it from knocking. That is one reason why mid-grade octane may be beneficial. My 2002 Silverado was built to run on regular but by the time I had 80,000 miles I had to use premium or else it knocked really bad, especially in the summer.

[@MaestroTJS]

I've heard the premium fuel has more detergent additives in it. It would be good if you could do some research on that at some point and see if it cleans better. I was told by a mechanic to throw it in every once in a while for that reason if I wanted to. Top Tier fuels are another thing I use. I find there is no price difference so I look for it. It certainly can't hurt, at least.

[@1FiftyOverland]

No, top tier fuel has more detergents. Premium fuel only refers the the octane rating premium will always be 89 to 93 depending on the region you are in. I always use top tier premium fuel in my 2.7l ecoboost f150. Ford's says it runs regular but premium it will make more power. I tell you here in Southern Nevada when temps get over 90 degrees premium is a must. The truck runs like dog shit with regular. I ran regular one summer due to gas prices being retarded expensive, the truck was super laggy and lacked power bad!! Filled up with premium from Chevron the truck started running better on the way home. Always top tier premium from now on.

[@davidnielson9139]

It typically doesn't -- again blame the gas companies for making it seem that way. If you want to ensure you are getting good detergent in your fuel, make sure it is Top Tier gas -- most of the major brands are and many Independent stations sell Top Tier, as well. You can check the Top Tier website to check on stations in your area.

[@louism8217]

Top tier fuels have more detergents but higher octane fuel simply resists pre ignition better than lower octane gas. Want a comparison? In the late 1960s a two barrel 351w ran on 94 octane fuel amd performance motors were over 100. We will never be able to compare the performance of those cars vs today's cars

[@BradThePitts]

For 1/4 the annual cost of premuim fuel, you can buy Lucas fuel system cleaner by the gallon. Just a couple of ounces per tankful eliminates the need for premium fuel. It allegedly keeps everything clean, and like you said, it certainly could not hurt.

[@toronado455]

I think that used to be the case, but not anymore. Nowadays I think all grades of fuel have the same levels of detergents.

[@PigRipperLAW]

Great advice. Now with all that money saved, can you step on the gas a little harder? Some of us want to get where we are going because it’s more interesting than sitting behind slow drivers.

[@kirkmooneyham]

Many modern computer-controlled turbocharged engines can take advantage of higher octane, up to a point. It depends upon the exact vehicle and engine, however. Most of them can run fine on lower octane gasoline, but may see a small performance boost with higher octane fuel. This is generally NOT true for naturally aspirated engines, however. My particular turbo'd 4-cylinder vehicle runs fine on 87 octane, but gets a small but noticeable performance and mileage increase with 89. Going to 91 seems to make no difference, and of course, costs more. Do your own research, read the forums where owners are discussing your make and model of vehicle, and of course, there is always dyno testing, if you really want to know the actual performance numbers.

[@theshinobi01]

Look at your owner's manual. But you also need to see if your engine can even run on regular gasoline. My Outback 3.0R with a high compression 10.7 to 1 3.0L H6 says it can run on 87, but the performance felt sluggish and my 17-18 mpg average dropped to about 12. When I put 93 octane back in, the performance went back to normal and I went back up to my average mpg. The delta from premium gas to regular gas is only about 5-7 dollars a fillup (~10%) for me but the fuel economy delta is significantly larger. Some engines will retard timing so much, any savings on 87 could be potentially lost when your car gets atrocious fuel economy and real noticeable lost performance. Normal engines it is a waste to put in 93, and actually can be a net loss in fuel economy (additives make the fuel resist pre-detonation, reducing/eliminating knock). But if you have a performance car, a luxury car, or an engine with high compression, you NEED 91/93.

[@driverisaac4806]

if you NEEDED it, it would say so in the manual

[@vicerichter1163]

the important thing is to do your research, any GDI with turbs or any forced induction *NEEDS* premium. Also compression ratio is very important to look into when you fill your car. My 4runner has a 10.4:1 I looked up the math. Between 89-91 octane is recommended for this engine. You can run 87. But if you know math and engines. Lower octanes will retardthetiming of the engine and you actually get less performance. Also look into what your engine does. Is it a gas guzzler? Chances are, the fuel dumped into the engine causes preignition if alot of fuel is introduced. So no, 4bangers dont need premium if they were designed to consume *Less fuel*, thats why their compression is so high to compensate for lack of fuel and their very small bore size. While bigger engines with similar compression ratios need more fuel and higher octane fuel to run better due to the amount of resistance and pressure to run a v8. People have said their big engine vehicles saw a benefit from running midgrade or higher. which means restored performance. Mostly because the timings were affected. The ECM can only compensate so much with 87 octane until it has to sacrifice power in order to keep the engine running properly. So yes, Iam gonna run 89 or higher. At least in my car. The 4L engine seems to like this 90 0-E fuel that I found. Has no ethanol. Made a very noticeable difference.

[@larkt6693]

My car calls for premium gas..& that’s what I’m putting .. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@Wmd1010]

I’m watching this in 2022 and those gas prices look awesome rn

[@Anthony-nx5yu]

I have a friend whose family drives all luxury German cars (7 series, CLA, S AMG...) always uses regular, never had a problem. LOL

[@NS416]

Anthony Bull shit, AMG’s & a 7 series all have high compression engines. If you use regular the engines will knock and misfire.

[@alextogo8367]

You're using "lol" on your own comment as even you know that's ludicrous...

[@shxkn]

There is a difference. Especially in turbocharged cars. Ever heard of knock? 87 has horrible knock resistance and in turbocharged cars it’ll lead to premature detonation. Happens in naturally aspirated cars too. Cars have sensors to lean the mixture so it doesn’t allow the engine to knock again, but either way, over time all that premature detonation will cause wear and tear. Either run what’s recommended or premium. It’s every turbo tuners worst nightmare, that’s why they like ethanol, because it is far more resistant to knock.

[@a1b3do]

Does a car's engine computer adjust timing based on the grade of fuel? How many miles until the adjustment affects efficiency and performance, and was that factored into testing? I have no idea, but I wonder if it's like flipping a switch or a 'curve approaching a limit' sort of thing.

[@BradThePitts]

You are correct, the timing is constantly adjusting for Octane and several other factors, including air temperature and air pressure. It's hard to say how long it takes to adjust for the octane because almost always, you're adding a different octane fuel to a least a partial tank of fuel and mixing them together.

[@konstantindufnik696]

If you are going to put 87 octane in a engine that is designed to run on 91, the timing is ajusted immidiatly, because the computed will sence knock in the engine. But the internal parts of the engine aren't designed to do that, so you are going to have engine problems in the future. As for the timing it can be advanced or retarded a certain amount.

[@toronado455]

Excellent question. I know that knock sensors are used to adjust timing. So maybe a car can adapt itself to run on low octane by retarding its own timing, though performance may suffer.

[@cb7pwn]

Port injection go premium. Direct injection go premium. Small engines, such as mowers run premium for less moisture. However. I had a 96 maxima that was supposed to run on premium, I ran regular and the engine lasted 440k

[@brian1157]

There are only 2 grades of fuel at every station. Regular and premium. Everything listed between is a mixture of the two and it is mixed while being pumped. To know what octane you should use, you must know the maximum compression ratio your engine will produce. A turbo or supercharged engines compression will increase with higher boost levels, and the compression ratio can increase significantly, hence why you need to run a higher octane. A naturally aspirated engines compression ratio will only change slightly due to atmospheric and temperature changes, but generally if it remains below 9.5:1 you should be fine with 87 octane as long as you don't notice pinging due to pre detonation.

[@mowcowbell]

That may be the case along the coasts, but here in oil country, stations may have as many as 5 grades of fuel at each station. The OnCue stations in Oklahoma have 87 in E10, Diesel, E85, and 87, 89, and 91 octane in 100% gasoline.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

I've yet to see CR do a report to explain why some vehicles fairly represent their EPA rating while others are drastically lower.

[@james2042]

I mean the Ford f150 with either EcoBoost (2.7 or 3.5) recommends 87 octane, but both the fuel efficiency and power/torque are measured with premium and regular gets you a 15% loss for both roughly. Also mid grade fuel is like literally made for the hemi, as I dont know any other engine that uses it

[@OutdoorLifeKR]

Gas coasts over $4 avg. in LA area...

[@danapurcell3567]

$5.00 here in Canada and more depending on where you live.

[@carlcolvin8320]

It's at and over $ 4.00 a gallon in Reno Nevada

[@BradThePitts]

Yes, and the more expensive the gas, the smaller the differential between 87 89 and 91. If it cost me 60 bucks to fill my tank I will gladly pay 62 or the highest octane.

[@bl8danjil]

You can thank the State Legislator for pushing through the last gas tax.

[@livefreeordiehard8898]

OutdoorLife commie fornia

[@matthewvaladez8209]

My 2021 civic says “87 and higher” notified premium makes my car respond a bit better than 87 octane but I honestly don’t see a mileage difference. Just the fact my car seems to respond a bit easier on premium opposed to 87.

[@qasimhaleimi]

My car is Toyota Prado V6 2015 in manual said for optimum engine performance run 95 Octane if not found you can use temporary Octane 91 but from my experience if I use 91 engine develop sometimes knocking specially in city driving but in highway no difference for that I use most of the time 95 Octane

[@sc3140]

Great info thx 4 sharing!

[@headcas620]

Only 400 bucks a year? That's not that big a deal.

[@stevenyia2778]

It adds up

[@chocolatewheelchair]

headcas620 its an entire month’s car payment

[@smdanny1]

for some families that's a month's worth of food

[@_multiverse_]

For some people 400 is a big deal.... Would you just take 400 dollars out of the bank and just light it on fire?

[@AkioWasRight]

Not a big deal? That's thousands over the life of a vehicle.

[@shmiggz]

Measuring acceleration and gas mileage is all fine and dandy, but did you guys check for engine knocking or pinging? Car might drive fine but it may hurt the reliability if you use the wrong fuel.

[@MaximusJohal]

in the Uk I think we have 95 Octaine as standard. I might be wrong.

[@DRJIVAN]

That's correct. They got rid of the normal 91 regular in other countries. USA use a different numbering system so their pump numbers are roughly 4 lower than our RON numbers at the pump

[@slimjim77M]

If your engine has a high compression ratio, or the compression ratio has been increased due to fouling, you should use premium.

[@madboyreadynow28]

I am so sick of people saying there is no difference. Yes there is a difference and the difference is if you have a regular engine no it doesn't matter but as he just said cars like mine require premium.

[@MrMrabaunza]

The only vehicle I own that always gets premium is my Honda cbr 1000rr. Everything else gets regular and have no issues.

[@manny1782]

I used to work at a gas station and the fuel truck dump regular gas on the premium tank all the time ,U never know what u put on ur fuel tank. Just saying

[@tonybailey89]

Doesn't acknowledge how turbo cars can run on 87 but do benefit from 93...IE Ford's Ecoboost 2.3 making ~250-260hp on 87 and advancing timing on 93 enough to make ~300-310hp

[@benjigruber9292]

My Audi A3 2.0t 2015 doesn't say anything on the cap what do I use?

[@CarringtonHollister]

It should say premium my 22 year old B5.5 Passat requires premium

[@carracer2002]

What about branded vs generic gas stations?

[@driverisaac4806]

premium tastes better 👍

[@mithicash1444]

Hold up...

[@williamp9983]

How to know if the gas stations are using the same gas for both butons regular and premium how do we know that?..that is why i preferred to Put regular gas so i dont feel i'm losing money.🤗 .

[@TimothyStclair-v4p]

my car develops less carbon exhaust on hi-test than 87 octane. my car is designed to run on 87 but has no must run instructions on octane. i use 93 octane in my walk behind mower and the rpms are more per tach i have on mower and i think it is because the mower is not building up carbon because when i use 87 octane in the mower, the rpms are lower (less power which is a pain in the early spring when the grass is thick and lower rpms clog the shoot). just my observation from real life.

[@Sci-Mon1]

Some cars that use regular fuel can actually run worse with premium fuel. So keep that in mind too.

[@ImportsRule007]

Damn that Accord is ugly sitting in the air LMAOOO! LOOKS LIKE A SEA CREATURE LMAO

[@EB-yp1wu]

What if you have a turbo and you need premium such as a 20 psi civic si have you ever driven it on 87? So sluggish.

[@kenc2257]

Wish Mike would have expanded his remarks on mid-grade gas... [also, why pixelate the car/engine compartment badges?]

[@Peppermint1]

If only Premium was actually 91 octane.. Check out gas trucks filling 'by mistake' the Premium station tanks with a little bit of Regular

[@jasonbarry6618]

This is way to complicated. Bottom line,.. read your owners manual and use the lowest allowed octane.

[@BringMeTheNight2010]

Check your owners manual. People have this misconception that premium gas has better cleaning detergents. Wrong! By law, Regular, Mid and Premium have the same cleaning detergents (Not laundry detergent but detergents used to keep injectors and valves clean)[From top tier gas]. Only difference between the 3 is octane rating; that’s a whole different topic.