The short answer is
yes
. If your car has an engine that's designed to run on regular gasoline, you can choose to switch to premium fuel at any time.
Can you put premium gas in a Honda Civic?
Technically, yes
. But many vehicles have engines which are designed to withstand a certain amount of wear and tear. So, for most vehicles, choosing a premium gasoline won't make much of a difference.
Most cars on the road recommend a standard grade 87 or 89. Premium gas 90-93 is completely okay to put in a standard vehicle. Car experts say
there is no risk of damage to a standard car using premium fuel
.
What kind of gas does a Honda CRV 2020 take?
Honda engines are certified and designed to run on
regular unleaded gasoline
. Gasoline is allowed, by regulation, to contain a variety of additives. The same regulation limits how much of some additives, such as alcohol, can be included in the fuel and still be sold as gasoline.
According to Fueleconomy.gov, the official U.S. government source for fuel economy information, using regular gas in older vehicles made for premium gasoline can
result in the engine making an audible knocking or pinging sound
. In some cases, it can also void your warranty.
Because premium gas has a higher octane rating than midgrade or regular gas, it produces a little more power when burnt. Designed for performance cars with large, powerful engines, premium also helps minimize the risk of preignition inside highly-stressed, hot engine cylinders.
In a consumer notice, the Federal Trade Commission, notes: “In most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner.”
Can I mix premium and unleaded gas?
Yes
, drivers can mix the two types of fuel. The combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle — something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
How much gas does Honda CRV use?
| 2019 Honda CR-V AWD | Tank Size 14.0 gallons | *Based on 45% highway, 55% city driving, 15,000 annual miles and current fuel prices. Personalize. MSRP and tank size data provided by Edmunds.com, Inc. Range on a tank and refueling costs assume 100% of fuel in tank will be used before refueling. |
|---|
Sadly,
there's nothing in premium gasoline that would make it last longer than other fuels from the pump
. Since the distinguishing feature is the higher-octane levels, the only real benefit you gain is lowering the chance of engine knocking, which isn't much of a threat on most modern fuel systems.
What happens if you put 93 instead of 87?
If you usually fill your tank up with 87-octane gasoline and you accidentally put in a higher octane blend (say, 91, 92, or 93), don't worry. You're actually
filling your car or truck with a different blend of gas
, which means it will burn differently in your engine.
- Buick Envision (with 2.0L turbo)
- Buick Regal (all models)
- Buick Regal TourX (all models)
- Chevrolet Equinox (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Chevrolet Malibu (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Fiat 500L (all models)
- GMC Terrain (with 2.0-L turbo)
- Honda Civic (with 1.5-L turbo)
Today's premium fuels contain additives and detergents that help clean fuel injectors and remove carbon deposits inside of engines, thus, incentivizing motorist with engines that use regular fuel to, on occasion, use premium gas to
clean their engines
.
- BP.
- Chevron.
- Conoco.
- Costco.
- Exxon.
- Holiday.
- Kwik Trip.
- Mobil.
The octane rating on a modern gas pump is actually a representation of its resistance to knock. In fact, one of the main benefits of premium gas is that
it avoids detonation better than regular gas
. The higher the octane — usually expressed as a range from 87 to 94 — the stronger the resistance.
Why is topping off bad?
Huddleston says topping off
can cause gas to spill onto the ground
, causing harmful effects to the environment and people's health. If you damage your car's vapor recovery system, it won't be able to effectively do its job of protecting people from harmful vapors.
