You May Be Wasting Money On Premium Gas, Consumer Reports Explains

Premium gas seems like it would have a lot of benefits, seeing as it's, well, premium. However, many cars don't require premium gas — and it won't even improve their performance or fuel economy. Consumer Reports recently ran a test to find out whether vehicle owners save money by using regular fuel instead of the premium fuel that's suggested for some models. A 2015 Acura TLX with a four-cylinder engine and a 2016 Nissan Maxima with a V6 were put to that test — and both were found to have the same fuel economy, speed, and performance with regular and premium fuel. 

Depending on your vehicle's fuel economy and the price of gas — which have become extremely high in the United States in 2026 — you could save up to $700 a year by sticking to regular gas, according to Consumer Reports. At time of writing, the difference between regular and premium gas is around 87 cents. If you want to save money at the pump, sticking to regular is a good start. 

Some vehicles — mostly performance cars — are designed to run on premium fuel. If it's a requirement, definitely stick to the premium option. However, you don't need to go premium if it's just a recommendation from the carmaker. Your vehicle's owner's manual may let you know why premium is recommended. A Nissan spokesperson told Consumer Reports that premium is recommended to ensure you get the advertised vehicle performance. An Acura spokesperson said that lower-octane gasoline could cause engine knocking, which could eventually decrease its performance. 

Following the test, Consumer Reports concluded that both cars sounded the same on regular and premium fuel. However, it is recommended that you switch to premium if you do end up hearing any pinging or knocking noises. Switching between fuel types will typically not damage your engine, so you can safely upgrade if you ever feel it's necessary. Mixing them is also usually fine, but you probably shouldn't do it on purpose too often.