No benefit to using premium fuel in a car that takes regular
A man passes a gas pump showing the price of regular gasoline at a San Diego gas station. A sharp jump in gas prices drove a measure of U.S. consumer costs up in February. But outside higher pump prices, inflation stayed mild. (Feb. 21, 2012) Credit: AP
Pumping higher-octane premium gas into a car designed to run on regular does not provide a significant improvement in performance or fuel economy, but it won't damage your engine, either. It's like paying more for a name-brand product when the lower-priced generic equivalent is just as good.
On the flip side, using regular gas in a car designed to run on premium can result in a loss of economy and performance and perhaps engine "pinging" or knocking during acceleration.
