Premium gasoline (91 or 93 octane) costs $0.15 to $0.25 more per litre than regular (87 octane) at most Canadian stations. On a 50-litre fill-up, that is $7.50 to $12.50 extra per tank. Over a year of weekly fill-ups, you are spending $390 to $650 more for premium fuel. The question is whether you get anything for that money.
For the vast majority of cars on Canadian roads, the answer is no. If your owner's manual says "regular unleaded" or "87 octane," using premium provides zero benefit. Premium gas does not clean your engine, does not improve fuel economy, and does not make your car faster. Modern engine management systems are designed to run optimally on the fuel grade specified by the manufacturer.
The key distinction is between "premium required" and "premium recommended." If your manual says required, you must use premium — the engine has a high compression ratio that needs the higher octane to prevent knocking. This is common in luxury and sports cars. If it says recommended, the engine can safely use regular fuel. It will automatically adjust ignition timing, and you may lose a small amount of horsepower, but you will save hundreds of dollars per year with no engine damage.
Bottom line: check your owner's manual. If it does not specifically say premium is required, you are spending 15 to 20 percent more per fill-up for zero benefit.
Pros
- +Required for high-compression engines to prevent knocking
- +May provide marginal performance gain in "premium recommended" vehicles
- +Higher octane rating for engines that specifically need it
Cons
- −$390-$650+ extra per year with no benefit for most cars
- −Does not clean your engine or improve fuel economy
- −Does not make regular cars faster or more powerful
- −"Premium recommended" cars run fine on regular fuel
- −Common misconception that premium equals higher quality
The Bottom Line
No. Unless your owner's manual says "premium required," you're paying 15-20% more per fill for zero benefit.
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