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Consumer Reports Finds Out That Premium Gas Is Mostly a Waste Of Money

Fueling up 81 photos
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The operating parameters of modern engines are extremely precise. This translates to superior performance and better fuel economy than the internal combustion technology from a decade ago, but on the flip side, some cars carry the recommendation to use premium fuel.
Performance cars such as the McLaren 720S, meanwhile, require 98 RON to deliver the best suck-squeeze-bang-blow possible. The question is, what are the benefits of premium jungle juice in a normal car made for normal people? Consumer Reports took two vehicles to find out how the cookie crumbles, evaluating the Acura TLX four-cylinder and Nissan Maxima with the V6.

Each recommends but does not require the use of premium gas,” which begs another question. Is there a difference in fuel economy or performance between the two grades of fuel? After running tests at the publication’s 327-acre track in Connecticut, Consumer Reports concluded that “both sedans achieved the same fuel economy when tested with regular fuel as they did with premium.”

Regarding noise, vibration, and harshness, “the cars felt and sounded the same; we did not experience any engine pinging or knocking noise in either car when using regular fuel.” As surprising as the results are, the owner’s manuals for both vehicles mention a possible decrease in performance when running on regular-octane gas.

“The 0 - 60 mph acceleration times were identical in the TLX and Maxima on regular and premium gas,” so what are we talking about here? Consumer Reports got in touch with Acura and Nissan, explaining the results and asking for more information. Acura’s spokesperson mentioned occasional metallic knocking noise, which might develop over time if the vehicle’s owner uses mostly regular gasoline.

Nissan’s reply, on the other hand, explained that fuel economy might be compromised on hot days. And to guarantee the advertised performance of the Maxima V6, premium is a must. Given these circumstances, is premium worth it?

From a financial standpoint, it’s not because the cost difference between the good stuff and run-of-the-mill gasoline is 52 cents per gallon. For vehicles that average 15 and 30 miles per gallon combined, that translates to yearly savings of $418 and $209, respectively. But on the flip side, automakers who recommend premium do it for a reason, so think long and hard about which type of gasoline suits your car best.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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