Watch Out For ‘Regular’ Cars That Need Premium Fuel

You’ll pay hundreds of dollars more per year if you choose a car that runs on premium grade gasoline … [+] instead of regular.

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Gas prices may be relatively cheap–at least for now–but they’re sure to inch back upwards once the nation is again taking to the roads on a regular basis. At that, it still costs considerably more to keep a vehicle’s tank filled with premium-grade fuel, rather than good old regular.

According to the AAA, at a national average of $241.7, a gallon, premium currently costs $0.63 more than regular at $178.5 per gallon. Most sports cars require premium in order to maintain high levels of performance, and many luxury cars specify it for the same reason. Of course, if you’re paying $50,000 or more for a vehicle, you’re probably able to absorb the added cost.

However, if you’re minding your money and are thinking about shopping for a new vehicle, be aware there are now a surprising number of otherwise ordinary cars and crossover SUVs that nonetheless run on premium-grade fuel. This is due largely to more widespread use of higher-compression turbocharged engines for the sake of added power without sacrificing fuel economy. We found 15 such models and are highlighting them below.

Regular-grade gas is typically rated at 89 “octane,” which is a measure of how much compression the fuel can withstand before igniting. Premium, on the other hand, is rated at 91-octane (there’s also a nebulous 87-octane “mid-grade” level that’s priced somewhere between the two). Higher octane fuel can be compressed to a higher ratio without detonating erratically, which usually manifests itself as “knocking” or “pinging.”

That’s all fine and well, but if you want to save on operating costs, whether for your own ride or one for a young driver in the household, be sure to choose a vehicle that’s engineered to run on regular 89-octane gasoline. Fuel requirements for a given model are printed on a label inside the fuel filler door and are noted in its owner’s manual. You can also check the recommended grade, along with fuel economy ratings and other pertinent information for all new and past-model vehicles on the Environmental Protection Agency’s fueleconomy.gov website.

If you already own a vehicle that specifies premium-grade fuel and are considering switching to regular to save a few bucks, that’s not a particularly sound idea. While today’s engines include something called a knock sensor that can automatically adjust the timing of the spark plugs to safely accommodate lower octane fuel than is recommended, your car’s performance and its fuel economy will be adversely affected to some degree.

How much more will you spend filling the tank in a car that recommends premium gas? As an example, the midsize Chevrolet Malibu sedan can be equipped with either a 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The smaller of them generates 163 horsepower, comes mated to a gearless CVT transmission, is rated at 32 mpg and runs on regular-grade fuel. Meanwhile, the larger turbo-four puts out a peppier 250 horsepower and comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission, but gets 26 mpg and takes premium.

This may be comparing apples to oranges, but the EPA says buying the more fuel-efficient Malibu that runs on regular will save $750 a year in fuel when driven 15,000 combined city/highway miles annually at prices current as of May 1. That’s an additional $3,750 to run over a five-year ownership period, and that figure could certainly rise when gas prices eventually take an upward turn.

15 ‘Regular’ Cars That Take Premium Fuel