Is Premium Fuel Best?

Everytime you fill up your gas tank you have a choice about which octane fuel to use at the pump. I am sure we have all wondered, “Is premium fuel better for MY car?” You might even know someone who only puts premium fuel in their car, and find yourself wondering why they are so insistent on this being the case. Today, we are going to break down the the “when’s” and “why’s” of premium fuel. 

First off, what is premium gas? Premium gas is a higher octane fuel which means that it is more balanced and stable in response to spontaneous combustion. 

Luxury and performance vehicles that are meant to increase horsepower more quickly and smoothly see the greatest benefit from premium fuel because of their turbo-charged or high-compression engines. These types of engines actually take advantage of the benefits that premium gas has to offer because they were designed to do just that. 

While premium gas can drive performance in some vehicles, another common myth is that it is more fuel-efficient. This is especially not the case in vehicles that do not require or benefit from premium fuel. 

So, now that we have addressed the myth, what is the fact? 

An engine tuned to run on regular fuel will run best on regular fuel, and furthermore, not see any cost benefit from splurging on premium fuel. Many standard engines just were not designed to take advantage of premium fuel in a way that makes it worth it. The good news is, you only need to use premium gas when your car manual explicitly requires it.