When You Should (And Shouldn’t) Use Premium Gas In Your Automotive

The worth difference during a fill-up between regular and premium gas will be eye-opening. As of this writing, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that the typical price for a gallon of standard gas is $2.90. Go for “the great things,” and the worth on the pump increases to $3.78, a 30% boost. Spending extra is smart when it’s beneficial by the manufacturer — some modern engines require premium gas. Nevertheless, doing so in lots of other vehicles is a waste of cash.

For those who drive a 2025 Toyota Camry (a hybrid), its 13-gallon fuel capability means spending $38 or $49 for a full tank, depending in your octane alternative. The difference adds up more in vehicles with larger fuel tanks. A 2025 Ford F-150 with a 36-gallon tank will cost $104 to refill with regular, while the worth on the pump jumps to around $136 with premium. So the fuel grade you select can have a meaningful impact in your wallet. Yet cheaping out is not at all times one of the best approach.

Regular gasoline has an octane rating of 87, and premium, depending on the brand, is 91 to 93. Mid-grade gasoline (what is the point of it, anyway?) typically has an 89 octane rating. The additional octane helps prevent engine pre-ignition or “knock,” which may interfere with the combustion process in high-compression and forced-induction engines. Prolonged knocking, which ends up from the air-fuel mixture igniting too early under pressure, can damage the pistons, valves, and engine bearings.

Combustion is a fragile dance in today’s engines, especially in high-compression power plants or those with turbocharging or supercharging. Manufacturers should balance efficiency and power while ensuring precise ignition timing and proper boost pressure. Think about extra demands like heavy loads, steep grades, or stomping on the accelerator, and the necessity for smooth power becomes obvious. In lots of vehicles, peak engine output depends on using higher-octane fuel.

With many Ford EcoBoost engines, premium is not mandatory, however the pricier gas delivers the “best overall vehicle and engine performance,” in accordance with Ford. In practical terms, you will need to choose on the worth of additional horsepower and quicker acceleration. A 2019 test by Automotive and Driver showed that an F-150 with the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 made 360 horsepower with 87-octane fuel versus 380 with 93-octane premium. The additional output translated right into a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds, 0.6 seconds quicker than with regular gas.

Yet other vehicles aren’t so flexible with fuel selections. Porsche “strongly” recommends its gas-engine models “use premium fuel exclusively.” The corporate warns that using lower-octane gas “could cause everlasting damage to your vehicle and must be avoided” resulting from the danger of engine knocking. Mercedes takes the same approach with its AMG editions, advising drivers to make use of premium-grade gasoline. The automaker does offer an exception if premium is unavailable: Regular is permissible, but only fill half the tank and do not drive the automobile hard or with engine speeds above 3,000 rpm.

There is not a prohibition on using high-octane fuel in vehicles designed for regular-grade gas. The one damage from splurging on premium can be to your checking account. The 87-octane-friendly engines simply cannot reap the benefits of upgraded gasoline. A decade ago, AAA conducted a study confirming that premium provided no profit in cars made for regular-grade gas. The organization found that American drivers wasted $2.1 billion a 12 months under the mistaken belief that premium is healthier for his or her cars.

Many popular cars are high-quality cruising together with 87 octane within the tank. The owner’s manual for the 2025 Toyota Camry specifies unleaded gas of an octane rating of 87 or higher. Honda says the identical thing for the 2025 Accord, regardless that the bottom engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder unit. The recommendations are similar with other examples from 2025, including the Chevrolet Equinox and Hyundai Tucson. Simply put, there’s an abundance of vehicles that do not require premium fuel.