Rajan Wilcox
There are many fuel options available at gas stations, so it can be confusing to know which one to choose for your car. The best type of fuel for your car depends on the type of engine it has. Most cars run on regular gas, which typically has an octane rating of 87. Premium gas, with a rating of 91-94, is designed for high-performance engines and can increase fuel efficiency, but it won't make a difference in a car that isn't designed for it. Diesel engines, on the other hand, can't run on gasoline and require a different type of fuel. Flex-fuel vehicles can run on a blend of gasoline and ethanol, but using the wrong type of fuel can be harmful. It's important to check your owner's manual or look for labels near the gas cap to determine the recommended fuel type for your car.
Fuel Types for Your Car
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Regular Gas | 87-octane fuel |
| Premium Gas | 91-94 octane |
| Midgrade Gas | 88-90 octane |
| Diesel | Used in heavy-duty pickups and some vans |
| E85 | A blend of 51-85% ethanol and the rest gasoline, used in flex-fuel vehicles |
| RON 95 | Regular gas in Europe |
| RON 98 | Premium gas in Europe |
| Octane Rating | Measures fuel stability and resistance to preignition |
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What You'll Learn
Premium vs regular gas
The best type of fuel for your car is the one specified in the owner's manual. If your car has a diesel engine, you must use diesel fuel. Diesel engines use a different process to ignite and burn fuel and will not run on gasoline.
In the United States, gasoline is typically available in three grades: regular, mid-grade, and premium. The main differences between these grades are their octane ratings and prices. Octane ratings measure fuel stability, with higher numbers indicating more stable fuel. Regular gasoline generally has an octane rating of 87, while mid-grade falls somewhere in the 88-90 range, and premium gasoline is rated at 91-94.
Using a higher-octane fuel than recommended by the manufacturer does not provide any additional benefits and may be a waste of money. Premium fuel is intended for high-performance or turbocharged engines that require an extra level of protection from engine knock. If your car is designed to run on regular gas, it will not perform better or gain any fuel efficiency by switching to premium gas.
However, if your car's manual recommends premium gas instead of requiring it, you can typically operate the vehicle safely on regular gas. Still, you may not achieve the same performance and fuel economy as indicated in the car's specifications.
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Diesel engines
If a diesel engine is accidentally filled with gasoline, it is important to not start the engine and to contact a dealership or repair shop immediately. They will need to drain and clean the tank to remove the gasoline and its residue. The cost of repairs for a diesel engine filled with gasoline can be substantial, ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 for newer diesel vehicles.
When filling up a diesel vehicle, it is important to pay close attention to ensure the correct fuel is used. Diesel pumps typically have green handles and larger nozzles than gasoline pumps, and diesel also has a distinct smell. Mixing fuels (except for diesel) is generally acceptable as long as the octane rating is not lower than the recommended fuel for the vehicle. However, it is best to be consistent with the type of fuel used in your car, as chopping and changing can affect the engine's performance.
It is worth noting that using low-octane fuel in a car that requires high-octane fuel will not damage the engine, but it will reduce its power and fuel economy. Additionally, using lower-octane fuel than recommended can lead to "fuel knock," which can damage piston rings, exhaust valves, and the piston itself. Therefore, it is important to refer to the user manual or the sticker inside the fuel flap to determine the manufacturer's recommended fuel type for your vehicle.
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Octane levels
The octane rating measures the amount of compression the fuel can withstand before ignition. Higher octane ratings indicate fuel that is less likely to pre-ignite when under pressure, which can cause engine damage. Performance cars with higher compression engines require higher octane fuel. The higher the octane rating of the fuel, the more stable the fuel itself, and this can influence engine performance, efficiency, and engine life.
Regular gas typically has an octane rating of 87, while mid-grade fuel averages 89 or 90, and premium-grade fuel has octane ratings from 91 to 94. The octane rating required for your vehicle will be specified by the manufacturer, and you can find this information in the owner's manual. It is important to use the manufacturer-recommended fuel for your vehicle, as using a lower octane fuel than required can cause the engine to run poorly and damage the engine and emissions control system over time.
In some high-elevation areas, gasoline with an octane rating of 85 is available. This is because, in higher-elevation areas, a typical naturally aspirated engine draws in less air mass per cycle due to the reduced density of the atmosphere. However, unless you have an older vehicle with a carbureted engine, you should not use 85 octane fuel, as it may cause engine damage.
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Flex-fuel vehicles
A flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) is an automobile with an internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one type of fuel. It can operate on gasoline and any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. FFVs are designed to run on gasoline blended with either ethanol or methanol fuel, with both fuels stored in the same common tank. The most common commercially available FFV in the world market is the ethanol flex-fuel vehicle.
In the United States, flex-fuel vehicles are also known as "E85 vehicles", which is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. In Brazil, FFVs are known as "total flex" or simply "flex" cars, and in Europe, they are called "flexifuel" vehicles. Automakers, particularly in Brazil and Europe, use badging in their FFV models with some variant of the word "flex", such as Volvo Flexifuel, Volkswagen Total Flex, or Renault Hi-Flex.
FFVs are factory-made, and many vehicle owners are unaware that their car is an FFV and that they have a choice of fuels to use. They are similar to their conventional gasoline-only counterparts, except for an ethanol-compatible fuel system and a different powertrain calibration. FFVs can burn any proportion of the resulting blend in the combustion chamber as fuel injection and spark timing are adjusted automatically according to the actual blend detected by a fuel composition sensor.
Modern flex-fuel vehicles are built using advanced technology such as electronic sensors that allow the car to detect the fuel blend and make any necessary adjustments. They can contain 10 to 85 percent ethanol. FFVs have improved acceleration performance when operating on higher ethanol blends. One of the greatest advantages of a flex-fuel vehicle is that it can burn whatever proportion of fuel mixture is in the combustion chamber.
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Fuel recommendations
If your car has a gasoline engine, the octane level of the fuel you need will depend on the type of engine in your car. Octane ratings measure fuel stability and resistance to preignition. The higher the octane number, the more stable the fuel and the less likely it is to detonate. Premium gas is a high-octane fuel (91-94 octane) designed to fuel high-performance engines. It can increase fuel efficiency and decrease emissions in cars designed to run on it. However, it is a myth that it is more fuel-efficient, and it will not improve the performance of a car that is not designed for it.
Regular gas typically has an octane rating of 87, while mid-grade falls somewhere in the middle (88-89). If your owner's manual recommends regular unleaded, premium fuel will not make the engine run better or produce more power. If your car is designed for regular-octane gas, you can safely use higher grades of gasoline, but there is little to no benefit to buying fuel with octane levels greater than what is recommended.
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Frequently asked questions
The type of fuel you should use in your car depends on the car. Check your owner's manual or look for labels by your gas cap to determine the fuel that the manufacturer recommends or requires and use that fuel. If your car has a diesel engine, you must use diesel fuel. If your car is designed for regular-octane gas, you can safely use higher grades of gasoline, but there will be little to no benefit to buying fuel with octane levels greater than what is recommended.
Premium gas is also known as high-octane gas and has an octane rating of 91 to 94. Regular gas typically has an 87 rating. The octane rating measures fuel stability and resistance to preignition, so the higher the octane number, the more stable the fuel and the less likely it is to detonate. Premium gas can increase fuel efficiency and decrease emissions if you have a car designed to run on it, but it won't make a difference in most other vehicles.
Diesel fuel is used in diesel engines, which use a different process to ignite and burn fuel than gasoline engines. Diesel has a higher energy density than gasoline. Diesel engines can be altered to burn biodiesel, which is produced from raw vegetable oil, used cooking oils, and waste animal fats.
E85 is a blend of 51-83% ethanol and the rest gasoline. It is designed for "flex-fuel vehicles", which can run on either E85 or gasoline. Flex-fuel vehicles usually have a yellow fuel cap. Using E85 in a car that isn’t designed for it can be harmful.
