High-octane gas is more expensive than regular. Do you really need premium?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Premium gas is more expensive than regular, but using regular may not be wise.
- If a manufacturer requires premium gas, using regular can damage the engine.
- Using premium gas when it isn’t required may not benefit fuel economy.
Premium gasoline has always been more expensive than regular gasoline. But because of the United States’ ongoing conflict with Iran, filling up with higher-octane fuel may be hitting some Triangle drivers’ bank accounts even harder.
It may be tempting for drivers who typically put mid-grade or premium gasoline in their vehicles to switch over to regular to save money. In North Carolina on Friday, the average price per gallon of regular gas was about 85 cents cheaper than premium and about 45 cents cheaper than mid-grade, according to AAA.
But filling a vehicle designed to run on premium gas with regular gas could cause serious and expensive problems, Rick Sapienza, Wake Technical Community College’s dean of Transportation Technologies, told The News & Observer.
Recommended or required?
Drivers should play close attention to the language in their vehicle’s manual or on the fuel filler door. If premium gas is recommended, that means the vehicle is optimized for the high-octane fuel but will run on a lower grade, Sapienza said.
If premium gas is required, though, drivers really should fill up with premium. Failure to do so could cause engine damage and void a warranty, Sapienza said.
Does using premium gas offer benefits?
On the other end of the spectrum — and perhaps this is less common now, with high gas prices — some drivers whose vehicles don’t require premium gas may be using it anyway, thinking it could have some benefits.
If that’s you, feel free to stop. Using the premium gas shouldn’t damage your vehicle, but it’s not doing you any favors, either, Sapienza said.
“Years ago, people thought it would give you more power, that was the urban myth and legend,” Sapienza said. “And it came out in studies that you were just wasting your money.”
Consumer Reports tested the theory. It filled two vehicles that recommend premium gas — the 2015 Acura TLX four-cylinder and 2016 Nissan Maxima V6 — with regular instead.
Both sedans had the same fuel economy with regular gas as they did with premium, Consumer Reports found. The cars also felt and sounded the same while driving.
The Department of Energy’s fuel economy information website echoes the claim that under normal driving conditions, using a higher octane fuel than required may result in little to no benefit. But, the website says, using higher-octane fuel may slightly improve performance and gas mileage in certain situations, such as towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads, particularly in hot weather.
This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 10:22 AM.
