It’s okay to use regular even if the manufacturer recommends using premium gas. But you should check your owner’s manual before making the switch, and remember that some automakers say premium is required.
Wondering about the long-term effects of switching to regular fuel? In short, there’s no harm in using regular fuel in vehicles if premium fuel isn’t required by the automaker.
When premium is merely recommended, and the car runs fine on regular, stick with that. But if, over time, it does start making pinging noises, try upgrading to a premium fuel.
If you’re experiencing pinging using the fuel required by the automaker, whether regular or premium, have the car diagnosed by a professional mechanic.
The use of premium fuel in a vehicle that doesn’t require it won’t cause harm, but it’s probably a waste of money.
In the Acura owner’s manual, the automaker recommends only using “Top Tier detergent gasoline”—which can be of any octane grade, regular or premium—for performance and reliability reasons. (Learn more about Top Tier fuel.)
In addition to these test findings, keep in mind that our car reliability data consistently show that the most dependable cars tend to be those running on regular fuel.
