What gas to use?

[TPainter]

I used 93 in my Premium for the first 3 weeks. My dealer ended up putting in 87 in it when I took it in to get puddle lights installed. While running 93, I was getting 22 in the city (Chicago) while in Eco mode. With 87, it dropped to about 18.5.

 

[SOCAL2.0]

I used 93 in my Premium for the first 3 weeks. My dealer ended up putting in 87 in it when I took it in to get puddle lights installed. While running 93, I was getting 22 in the city (Chicago) while in Eco mode. With 87, it dropped to about 18.5.

If that is typical Premium may not be more expensive In my experience based on just one tankful of both I can't tell the difference. BTW the performance of my 2.0 is amazing.

 

[Dannyar]

I was filling up yesterday and was tempted to try 93 over 87 but couldn't pull the trigger. Even if I can avg 2 more MPG per tank that's an extra 28 miles total in exchange for an extra $8 per fill up. I really don't see the gas difference giving any car 2 extra MPG, maybe just better performance and engine response.

 

[NYLAWBIZ]

I was filling up yesterday and was tempted to try 93 over 87 but couldn't pull the trigger. Even if I can avg 2 more MPG per tank that's an extra 28 miles total in exchange for an extra $8 per fill up. I really don't see the gas difference giving any car 2 extra MPG, maybe just better performance and engine response.

Isn't "better performance and engine response" one of the major reasons we bought the car in the first place?

 

[StungBlueGT2]

I was filling up yesterday and was tempted to try 93 over 87 but couldn't pull the trigger. Even if I can avg 2 more MPG per tank that's an extra 28 miles total in exchange for an extra $8 per fill up. I really don't see the gas difference giving any car 2 extra MPG, maybe just better performance and engine response.

There is another thread explaining more details of the benefits of Premium fuels. https://stingerforum.org/threads/gas-87-91-93-octane.3398/
But I'll try to do a quick recap here too.

I personally would not put 87 octane in any turbo vehicle, especially higher performance versions like our Stingers.

Using low octane will definitely decrease engine efficiency and in turn decrease power, fuel economy and possibly engine life. It may have less negative effects on the 2.0 vs the 3.3, but I noticed a significant difference in my 2.0 SXL Optima using 93 so 93+ is the only fuel I put in my cars.

On average most people will see 3-5% better mpg, but alot of people in our forum posted 1-2mpg improvements using 93 vs 87. Based on those examples any extra cost will be mostly washed out. So unless there are other reasons it doesnt make sense to use 87 fuel that will decrease power, mpg and engine life just to save a few dollars per tank.

Just my $0.02 and hope this helps.

 

[EBdiesel08]

I filled it up yesterday (93) and the range was 280 miles. I was hoping what other ppl posted was correct in terms of it increasing. It didn’t

 

[Dannyar]

There is another thread explaining more details of the benefits of Premium fuels. https://stingerforum.org/threads/gas-87-91-93-octane.3398/
But I'll try to do a quick recap here too.

I personally would not put 87 octane in any turbo vehicle, especially higher performance versions like our Stingers.

Using low octane will definitely decrease engine efficiency and in turn decrease power, fuel economy and possibly engine life. It may have less negative effects on the 2.0 vs the 3.3, but I noticed a significant difference in my 2.0 SXL Optima using 93 so 93+ is the only fuel I put in my cars.

On average most people will see 3-5% better mpg, but alot of people in our forum posted 1-2mpg improvements using 93 vs 87. Based on those examples any extra cost will be mostly washed out. So unless there are other reasons it doesnt make sense to use 87 fuel that will decrease power, mpg and engine life just to save a few dollars per tank.

Just my $0.02 and hope this helps.

I guess if the long term play is keeping the car if you have purchased it, then it makes sense. But for me who leased, an extra 1 mpg equates to 14 more miles on the tank. I may try it on my next fill to see if it really makes a difference at all.

 

[BlaydeX15]

I filled it up yesterday (93) and the range was 280 miles. I was hoping what other ppl posted was correct in terms of it increasing. It didn’t

It all depends on how you drive. My last 2 tanks were 26.8 MPG according to the computer (326 miles, 12.5 gallons, 26.1 as I measured it, but fills aren't perfect), and it's my daily driver. To work, grocery store, a few tests of launch control, and some spirited passing that I got in trouble at work for. 91 octane, 369 miles on the range computer.

 

[MerlintheMad]

It all depends on how you drive. My last 2 tanks were 26.8 MPG according to the computer (326 miles, 12.5 gallons, 26.1 as I measured it, but fills aren't perfect), and it's my daily driver. To work, grocery store, a few tests of launch control, and some spirited passing that I got in trouble at work for. 91 octane, 369 miles on the range computer.

I find those numbers quite irreconcilable with what my 3.3 does, and I have never put a drop of anything but 91+ in it. The closest I came to what you are describing was one stage of a road trip where it showed 28.3 mpg and upper 300s for range. Typically my around town mpg is between 20 and 22, with several dips into the upper teens. I do not do launch control (yet), but I do drive in Sport and I do pass.

 

[BlaydeX15]

I find those numbers quite irreconcilable with what my 3.3 does, and I have never put a drop of anything but 91+ in it. The closest I came to what you are describing was one stage of a road trip where it showed 28.3 mpg and upper 300s for range. Typically my around town mpg is between 20 and 22, with several dips into the upper teens. I do not do launch control (yet), but I do drive in Sport and I do pass.

I have the benefit of living in BFE. I drive .5 miles from my house, and I'm on the highway. Commute is 13.8 miles, and I average ~55 mph. Car has literally never been stuck in stop and go, and my town only has 3 stop lights.

When my friends ask why I live out here, I like to tell them it's because I enjoy being able to turn left out of parking lots. Lol.

But yeah, I was impressed by the numbers. First tank, from American Fork to Vernal (You're from Utah, but not sure if you're familiar with the route. Goes through Daniel's and Provo canyons), the computer told me 29.4 mpg, but I didn't measure it afterwards, so I can't confirm. Took some friends out cruising in it to show off, so it tanked my total mileage for that one. Think it was like 25 when I ended up filling? No idea. Second tank read 26.7 when I filled (Again, no math to confirm), but I took a picture of the cluster with this one, and the computer gave me an estimated range of 365 miles on the tank. Most recent tank I put 326 miles on it (652->978), and put in 12.517 gallons, est range 369.

Car is great on the highway, but I imagine city driving brings it WAAAAY down. I don't really drive in Sport, throttle is way too touchy, imo. Makes maintaining a mostly legal highway speed too much work. I mainly drive in Comfort, but I do jump to sport if I'm passing or feel like enjoying a red light.

 

[Dannyar]

I have the benefit of living in BFE. I drive .5 miles from my house, and I'm on the highway. Commute is 13.8 miles, and I average ~55 mph. Car has literally never been stuck in stop and go, and my town only has 3 stop lights.

When my friends ask why I live out here, I like to tell them it's because I enjoy being able to turn left out of parking lots. Lol.

But yeah, I was impressed by the numbers. First tank, from American Fork to Vernal (You're from Utah, but not sure if you're familiar with the route. Goes through Daniel's and Provo canyons), the computer told me 29.4 mpg, but I didn't measure it afterwards, so I can't confirm. Took some friends out cruising in it to show off, so it tanked my total mileage for that one. Think it was like 25 when I ended up filling? No idea. Second tank read 26.7 when I filled (Again, no math to confirm), but I took a picture of the cluster with this one, and the computer gave me an estimated range of 365 miles on the tank. Most recent tank I put 326 miles on it (652->978), and put in 12.517 gallons, est range 369.

Car is great on the highway, but I imagine city driving brings it WAAAAY down. I don't really drive in Sport, throttle is way too touchy, imo. Makes maintaining a mostly legal highway speed too much work. I mainly drive in Comfort, but I do jump to sport if I'm passing or feel like enjoying a red light.

And this echoes exactly the point I made in another topic about MPG and why only people who have a situation like yours and live in the middle of nowhere and have no traffic get these numbers .The avg person will get well below that .

 

[BlaydeX15]

And this echoes exactly the point I made in another topic about MPG and why only people who have a situation like yours and live in the middle of nowhere and have no traffic get these numbers .The avg person will get well below that .

Oh absolutely, that's why it's really hard to compare mileage. If I hypermile it back to SLC, I could probably hit 32MPG on the computer, since it's like half a mile lower than where I live, whereas someone else will get 18 because they deal with rush hour traffic. No way in hell that guy will ever get close to my average numbers, let alone the ones I could get if I tried.

It all balances out though, I have to go way further to get anywhere, so I end up spending more on gas anyway. (120 miles to the closest Costco, or Olive Garden. )

 

[StingerNYC]

I used two tanks of 93 octane before swapping to 87 (5 tanks) on my 3,000 journey. I saw 0 difference in gas mileage. I averaged around 26mpg on the freeway no matter the octane. I used the GasLog app to track the mileage. Now that I am back I am using 93 octane again because you know, more powa!

 

[MerlintheMad]

I used two tanks of 93 octane before swapping to 87 (5 tanks) on my 3,000 journey. I saw 0 difference in gas mileage. I averaged around 26mpg on the freeway no matter the octane. I used the GasLog app to track the mileage. Now that I am back I am using 93 octane again because you know, more powa!

Interestingly, my salesman recommended that i just buy midgrade gas, as premium (the gas, not the trim) was just wasted on the Stinger. But I am going with the book anyway, despite his helpful advice.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I have the benefit of living in BFE. I drive .5 miles from my house, and I'm on the highway. Commute is 13.8 miles, and I average ~55 mph. Car has literally never been stuck in stop and go, and my town only has 3 stop lights.

When my friends ask why I live out here, I like to tell them it's because I enjoy being able to turn left out of parking lots. Lol.

But yeah, I was impressed by the numbers. First tank, from American Fork to Vernal (You're from Utah, but not sure if you're familiar with the route. Goes through Daniel's and Provo canyons), the computer told me 29.4 mpg, but I didn't measure it afterwards, so I can't confirm. Took some friends out cruising in it to show off, so it tanked my total mileage for that one. Think it was like 25 when I ended up filling? No idea. Second tank read 26.7 when I filled (Again, no math to confirm), but I took a picture of the cluster with this one, and the computer gave me an estimated range of 365 miles on the tank. Most recent tank I put 326 miles on it (652->978), and put in 12.517 gallons, est range 369.

Car is great on the highway, but I imagine city driving brings it WAAAAY down. I don't really drive in Sport, throttle is way too touchy, imo. Makes maintaining a mostly legal highway speed too much work. I mainly drive in Comfort, but I do jump to sport if I'm passing or feel like enjoying a red light.

BFE? Sorry to be so dense. Is that a variant of "Butt F**K Nowhere"?

I didn't originally see your Roosevelt location when I responded. Now it makes sense. My mother was born and raised in Vernal. As a kid, I visited her sister every summer, and this was long before any freeways. I remember "7-11" concrete advert placings on random hills as you approached Vernal, iirc, they started just east of Roosevelt. We kids made a game out of counting them. They were advertising a store/cafe in downtown Vernal. Of course, the entire Roosevelt/Vernal area, back then, was bucolic to the max, i.e. people thin on the ground, compared to today. I bet that Roosevelt back then didn't even have one traffic light.

 

[BlaydeX15]

BFE? Sorry to be so dense. Is that a variant of "Butt F**K Nowhere"?

I didn't originally see your Roosevelt location when I responded. Now it makes sense. My mother was born and raised in Vernal. As a kid, I visited her sister every summer, and this was long before any freeways. I remember "7-11" concrete advert placings on random hills as you approached Vernal, iirc, they started just east of Roosevelt. We kids made a game out of counting them. They were advertising a store/cafe in downtown Vernal. Of course, the entire Roosevelt/Vernal area, back then, was bucolic to the max, i.e. people thin on the ground, compared to today. I bet that Roosevelt back then didn't even have one traffic light.

Yeah, E for Egypt (Don't know why, but it's the term I learned. Lol), same meaning.

And those signs would have been for the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant, on main street in Vernal. Didn't realize it had been around so long! Don't think those signs exist any more though. Place is nice, eat there once every few months. It's a home grill style, and there's a gift shop attached, but I don't think any of their stuff sells. Lol. Definitely a lot more dense in the center of town than you remember, but once you get out of the population center, it gets sparse. Lots of back roads to enjoy, that's for sure.

Not sure how far along Roosevelt has come, but I only live here because my wife wanted to be close to her family in Vernal. Was living in Logan before, and my wife would make the ~250 mile drive to to visit them every other week. Gross. Got a job out here, but it's ~50 miles from Vernal, so we compromised and moved to Roosevelt, which is near dead center between her parents and my work. If it was a shorter commute, I'd be in Vernal.

Anyway, off topic. Uh... Octane and MPG and power and stuff?

Also, why has nobody Dyno'd the difference? I'm not sure Kia is going to provide that information, and it would put a nail in the 'does the car have more power at 93 than at 87?' argument. You would only need to take 2 tests a tank apart. I'm skeptical about large mileage gains, but there is some root in reality there. If you're using just as much fuel to make less power, than you would expect to see some kind of a difference.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Over on the Interesting Discoveries Thread (Good or Bad), Mach_Tuck is describing how he monitors his gas mileage. He's so into it that it reads almost OC. But he's providing useful information.

 

[EBdiesel08]

I guess if the long term play is keeping the car if you have purchased it, then it makes sense. But for me who leased, an extra 1 mpg equates to 14 more miles on the tank. I may try it on my next fill to see if it really makes a difference at all.

Yea, I think I want to keep it. It’s an awesome car. Obviously 3 years is a whiles away but I can only imagine what will be available. Lol

 

[Photogbill]

I concur. I ONLY put 93 octane gas and Mobel 1 all synthetic oil and consistently gets 34 mpg highway mileage in my 2016 Optima SXL 2.0T

 

[EBdiesel08]

If paying for premium gas will help my car last longer...then the trade off is worth it.