A stock photo of a gas pump with several grades available.

You have to use the right fuel to get the most from your vehicle

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Do any Kia vehicles require premium grade gasoline?

Kia vehicles have a well-earned reputation for being among the most fuel-efficient vehicles in every automotive segment in which the automaker competes. In order for any vehicle to perform as it was designed, people must follow what the manufacturer lays out in the owner’s manual. That includes filling the tank with the correct kind of fuel. So, do any Kia vehicles require premium-grade gasoline? The answer is yes but this only applies to a pair of new Kia vehicles — the K900 sedan and the high-performance Stinger. Let’s take a look at what premium grade gas is and what it does for a vehicle. If you have any questions about the best way to care for your vehicle, reach out to a Classic Kia Carrollton product expert.

READ MORE: How far will my Kia vehicle go on empty?

What is premium gas?

The story of premium grade gasoline starts with octane. When you’re filling your vehicle’s tank, you should have noticed the large numbers on the gas pump, which tells you how much octane it contains. For the most part, only those who own vehicles with high performance, high output engine will need this type of fuel. By having more octane, the fuel will be more stable, and it won’t ignite when it’s not supposed to. Engine knocking is caused by this same phenomenon.

Is it bad to use the wrong kind of gas?

As we stated before, the Kia K900 and Kia Stinger need to be fueled with premium gas to be able to achieve each vehicles’ stated performance specs and efficiency scores. If you make a mistake and fill your tank with regular gas, it’s really not a big deal.

You might notice a few performance issues using a lower octane fuel, but there isn’t really anything to worry about in the long term. In the event you make the opposite mistake and fill your gas tank with premium, the only downside will be the hit you take to your bank account.

Classic Kia Carrollton currently has both the latest models of the Kia K900 and Kia Stinger in its showroom. Customers can schedule a test drive with any vehicle on our property when they make an appointment with one of our product experts today.