Can Acura Use Regular Gas?

The issue of using regular gasoline or premium gasoline will always be debated among automotive experts and car-buying consumers. While some tout premium over regular, others don’t believe that there’s much difference between the two grades of fuel. Indeed, some experts even believe that the benefits are so insignificant, if not outright non-existent, that you might as well throw money away if you refuel your car with premium gas. One thing’s for certain, though: Acura recommends that you feed its cars with premium gasoline that has an octane rating of 91 over regular gasoline with an octane rating of 87.

Regular vs. Premium

So, if Acura recommends premium unleaded gas for all its vehicles, there must be a reason for that. And what exactly is the difference between regular gas and premium gas?

Gasoline engines rely on the ignition of air and fuel compressed together to start the engine via the spark plugs. The level of compression it can withstand is measured by an octane number, which functions as a rating of sorts. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can endure before engine ignition. At 87, regular gas has a comparatively low octane rating. At the other end of the spectrum is premium gas, which, at 91, has a high octane rating. Since gasoline engines depend on air-and-fuel ignition compressed as a mixture, a high level of compressibility is essential. Otherwise, there’s the possibility of engine knocking occurring. Engine knocking occurs when there’s an ignition of the air-and-fuel mixture after the spark plugs have ignited it within the combustion chamber. The knocking sound indicates that the engine is not operating normally or efficiently, and it can lead to major damage if not tended to.

Should I Use Regular Gas on my Acura?

You can use regular gas on your Acura vehicle. However, since Acura doesn’t recommend it, it’s possible that its engines work optimally with premium gas. So, to be on the safe side, stick with what Acura recommends. It might be a few pennies per gallon of gas, but ultimately it’s better than potentially spending thousands on replacing the engine.

Give us a call today at Pohanka Acura to test drive one of our Acura vehicles in stock. You will be able to meet with one of our sales experts, who can narrow down the right vehicle for you based on your needs and preferences.