To address any specific questions you might have regarding particular vehicles, we do in-depth research for this page. We’ll examine the Toyota Highlander today to find what gasoline type it uses. To uncover the solution, we looked through every owner’s manual released for the Toyota Highlander since 2013. Here’s the short version of the response:
Use high-quality unleaded regular fuel with an octane value of 87 or above in any Toyota Highlanders made after 2013. Although it is possible to utilize premium fuel with an octane rating of 91 or higher, it is not advised because it offers no advantages above standard gasoline.
But that doesn’t tell the whole tale. The different types of gasoline and diesel fuel you should use in your Toyota Highlander are covered in much more detail below. We will also go through the various types of gas and whether they improve or degrade the life and functionality of your Highlander’s engine. Finally, we’ll talk about a few more aspects of the Toyota Highlander’s fuel efficiency.
In This Article...
How much gasoline does a 2018 Toyota Highlander consume?
GET RESPONSE. Use only unleaded gasoline, please. Choose 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or above as the octane rating. Engine knocking may occur if unleaded fuel with an octane value less than 87 is used.
Do Toyota vehicles need premium fuel?
What octane fuel is recommended for my Toyota? My people believe that it is advantageous to fill up their Toyota with high-octane or premium gas (90 octane or higher). The truth is that no Toyota uses a fuel grade greater than 87, with the exception of the Toyota Supra, which has a BMW engine.
Can 87 and 91 gas be combined?
Yes, drivers are allowed to mix the two fuel kinds. According to The Drive, the mixture of gas types will produce an octane level somewhere in the center, which the vehicle “will survive.
What happens if 93 fuel is placed in an 87 vehicle?
Do not become alarmed if the manufacturer of your automobile or truck suggests premium fuel for your vehicle but you instead use normal. Even though premium is advised, you are not required to use it; the engine can run just as well on standard gas.
You can run into issues if you use standard fuel when your manufacturer calls for premium. How well your car or truck will handle normal petrol depends on the sophistication of your fuel system as well as other elements like how your engine is tuned, what the timing is, and how hot it runs. Most of the time, the car will run just fine, although you might notice less power and reduced gas mileage. Because the fuel isn’t burning properly in more acute cases, you might hear engine banging or valve chatter. You should take it to your mechanic because these things might harm your engine.
What kind of fuel is 87 octane?
Measures of gasoline stability are called octane ratings. These rankings are based on the pressure at which a gasoline will spontaneously ignite in an engine under test. Actually, the octane number is the simple average of two distinct octane rating systems. The main differences between research octane rating (RON) and motor octane rating (MOR) are the particulars of the operating conditions. The fuel is more stable the higher the octane number. According to octane rating, retail gas stations in the United States offer three different classes of gasoline:
- Premium (the highest octane fuelgenerally 9194) (the highest octane fuelgenerally 9194)
- Midgrade (the middle range octane fuelgenerally 8990) (the middle range octane fuelgenerally 8990)
- Regular (the lowest octane fuelgenerally 87)
The octane rating is referenced in all of the names for these kinds of gasoline that certain corporations use, including unleaded, super, and super premium.
A petrol pump displaying several fuel grades and octane ratings on the yellow labels.
The minimum octane rating is shown by the huge number on the yellow octane label on petrol pumps. The octane testing method is identified on the label as (R+M)/2 Method, where R stands for Research Octane Number and M for Motor Octane Number.
The 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane molecule, which is extremely resistant to auto-ignition, is one of the 18 isomers of regular octane (C8H18), which is where the name of the fuel comes from. For testing purposes, this iso-octane has been given the reference value of 100. The 0 octane reference fuel is the exceedingly unstable normal heptane (C7H16) molecule.
What kind of vehicles need premium fuel?
If a luxury car has a high performance or turbocharged engine, premium gas may be necessary. More opulent trim levels for a car may provide engine options that require premium gas, even if you’re not buying a luxury vehicle. The make and type of your car ultimately determines whether it requires premium gas or not. Find out more about luxury and sports car insurance.
What Toyota models accept premium fuel?
Premium gasoline has a higher octane rating than regular fuel and will burn cleaner, quicker, and more efficiently, which can increase power and fuel efficiency. In high-compression and turbocharged engines like the ones featured in the 2021 Toyota GR Supra, high-octane premium fuel performs best. The Toyota GR Supra is the only Toyota car that suggests premium fuel. For more information and recommended fuel, consult your Toyota owner’s manual.
What Are the Differences Between Regular and Premium Fuel?
The octane rating is the primary distinction between regular and premium gasoline. In most states, regular gas is rated at 87 octane. In the majority of states, premium gas has an octane rating of 91 or 93. More detergents and other additives with hydrocarbons that are less susceptible to predetonation in your engine are frequently found in fuel types with higher octane ratings. Your engine may knock or ping, and the cylinders may experience unusual wear as a result of predetonation. Premium fuel reduces the possibility of predetonation and will ignite at the precise moment required for performance optimization.
Does premium produce better fuel economy?
In luxury and performance automobiles with turbochargers or high-compression engines, premium gas offers a stronger resistance to engine knock, allowing you to reach that horsepower effortlessly. Additionally, premium petrol can improve fuel efficiency, possibly resulting in longer-lasting better gas mileage while lowering pollutants.
Keep in mind that these advantages are only seen in vehicles that actually demand premium fuel, not necessarily in the majority of other vehicles. Note that the definition/label for premium gas can vary from state to state and station to station. Check your owner’s manual to verify what your manufacturer recommends for your individual automobile make and model.
Is premium fuel actually worthwhile?
Why spend a lot of money on something you don’t require? Premium petrol costs around 50 cents more per gallon than regular gas and doesn’t affect vehicles that can’t use it in any way. The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers that, “In most circumstances, using gasoline with a higher octane rating than your owner’s manual suggests delivers absolutely no benefit. It won’t improve the efficiency, performance, speed, or mileage of your vehicle.
In order to clean your engine and improve performance, the detergent additives in your gasoline are significantly more significant than the octane rating. Every shop offers a unique mixture of additives that are applied to all grades. For instance, Chevron’s Techron is available in both their normal and premium gas.
Some people hold themselves to a higher standard when it comes to additives. The Top Tier Gasoline standard, which requires a higher-percentage of detergent additive than the EPA minimum criteria, was developed with the assistance of BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Audi. They contend that lesser detergent additive concentrations may cause greater deposits to form on engine parts like the intake valves and fuel injectors. As a result, emissions may rise and engine performance may be affected. j
What happens if 89 gasoline is placed in a 91 vehicle?
When a vehicle manufacturer specifies premium fuel, it’s because the fuel system of that specific vehicle is built to function best with higher octane fuel. In an engine that needs premium fuel, using normal petrol could violate your warranty. That is most likely to occur if repeated use results in severe engine knocking or pinging (premature fuel ignition, also known as detonation), which harms the pistons or other engine components. Other issues, such as worsened engine performance and poorer fuel economy, may result from using the incorrect gasoline.
As an illustration, the following is what GM states about the matter in the owner’s guide for a car that needs premium:
91 or higher posted octane premium unleaded gasoline should be used. If the octane level is below 91, you risk damaging the engine and voiding the warranty on your car. When using gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or above, the engine requires maintenance if loud banging is observed.
Keep in mind that this only applies to engines that demand premium gas. Although some manufacturers advise using premium gas, you can also use standard or mid-grade gas. Usually, they mention that using gas with a lower octane rating could affect performance and fuel efficiency. They advise using premium when that starts to become noticeable, or if engine knock starts to happen.
Premium Gas Offers Better Performance
This myth is partially true and partially false. The majority of automobiles operate at the same level of performance whether you use standard or premium petrol. You’ll only notice a noticeable difference between the two with particular car models and engine types.
You Need to Use Premium Gas if It’s in Your Car Manual
This myth also rests on circumstantial evidence. Many automakers, like GMC, Ram trucks, and the works, will indicate in the owner’s manual for some of their cars whether they advise or demand the use of premium gasoline. What counts is how these two terms differ from one another.
There are certain advantages to using premium gas when the manual advises against it, but using regular gas won’t hurt your car. It won’t void your warranty in this situation either. Premium gas could potentially improve the performance of these vehicles.
But if the owner’s handbook specifies premium fuel, it signifies the engine does really require higher octane levels to operate properly. Using conventional fuel in these vehicles could potentially harm the engine, and your warranty won’t cover these damages.
Make sure you carefully study your owner’s manual before buying a new or used automobile to make the best decision. Save yourself the money if it’s not necessary.
Premium Gas Lasts Longer
So, is premium fuel more durable? This appears to be a lure of using the ostensibly higher grade fuel for many people. Who among us wouldn’t like to visit the petrol station less frequently?
Regrettably, premium gasoline contains nothing that would extend its shelf life relative to other fuels purchased at the pump. Since the higher octane levels are what set them apart, the only true advantage is a decreased risk of engine knocking, which poses no danger with most contemporary fuel systems.
Premium Gas Cleans Your Engine
This myth is untrue, much like the idea of living longer. The majority of engines are effective in removing residue. You’re in better shape keeping up with routine maintenance checks if you’re worried about the cleanliness of your vehicle’s components.
What happens if you fill a high-end vehicle with normal petrol once?
Premium gas is more resistant to detonation than conventional gas due to its higher octane rating. The engine’s cylinder will heat up as different pressures increase, which will also cause the gasoline to occasionally “explode in the cylinder” or detonate.
What gas is preferable, 87, 89, or 93?
ATLANTA
Half of the east coast is experiencing a fuel scarcity as a result of the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack. Due to this, many gas stations are experiencing shortages, higher gas prices, and gallon restrictions.
Many people have inquired as to the distinction between standard grade and premium fuel as some gas stations only carry standard grade fuel due to fuel shortages.
In order to determine the risks associated with not using the proper fuel in your car, our VERIFY team consulted with the experts.