The best petrol for a turbo engine is the highest octane (98 RON or higher) recommended by the manufacturer, as turbo engines are high-performance and need fuel resistant to knocking (premature ignition) for optimal power, efficiency, and to prevent damage, though 95 RON might be the minimum requirement for some. Always check your car's fuel cap or manual, as using lower octane than required can cause the engine's computer to reduce performance to protect itself.
You should use the octane fuel (91 or 95) recommended in your car's owner's manual or on the inside of the fuel flap; using a lower octane than recommended (like 91 when 95 is required) can cause engine knocking, loss of power, and reduced fuel economy, while using a higher octane (like 95) when not required generally won't harm your car but costs more without benefit unless the engine is designed for it.
Premium Gas Explained
That term refers to the conditions in the cylinder when the air and fuel detonate to keep the engine's pistons churning up and down. Manufacturers often recommend that cars with high compression ratios, particularly those fitted with turbochargers, run on premium gas for peak performance.
Normal petrol is most suitable for standard, non-turbocharged engines with low compression ratios. Power petrol is most suitable for turbocharged and high-performance engines. Normal petrol is used in everyday cars, sedans and compact cars.
If your car's manufacturer recommends 93 octanes, using 95 might not provide a significant benefit to justify the extra cost. However, if your vehicle requires 95 octane, using 93 could lead to engine knocking and potentially expensive repairs.
93 and 95: These are the octane ratings showing the amount of compression in the fuel. The higher the octane rate, the more efficiency and performance your vehicle can get out of it. Most vehicles can use either of these options, but it's highly suggested that high-performance modern vehicles use 95.
This changed in September 2021 when E10 became the standard. The previously popular E5 gasoline is still available but now under the SP95 and SP98 labels, which has a higher-octane rating and is often marketed as premium fuel.
Shell V power is the regular 91RON fuel with more additives, whereas the XP95 has the octane rating of 95RON, engines with a compression ratio of 12:1 or more should use higher octane fuel to prevent knocking due to excessive heat during compression.
Another misconception is that turbochargers drastically reduce engine lifespan. With proper care and maintenance, a turbocharged engine can last just as long as a naturally aspirated one.
Generally turbo cars need premium for its knock resistance. That being said certain cars are tuned to run on 87. Iirc that is one of the reasons the Hyundai veloster turbo was remarkable; it was designed to run on 87 octane.
Another disadvantage is reliability. When you add a turbocharger to the engine, you are adding another layer of mechanical complexity to just an ordinary engine. So more things can go wrong, thus it requires maintenance more often. And subsequently make the turbocharger engine more expensive.
Its all personal preference. There is little to no gain by putting in premium gas. Turbo engines of the past required premium gas, but the turbo engines if today are tuned with regular gas, so thats all you need to put in your tank.
Most drivers won't feel the benefit of filling up their vehicles with premium fuel. Many people believe that premium fuel lasts significantly longer than regular, but this isn't actually the case.
If you put 91 octane fuel in a car that requires 95 (or higher), you risk engine knocking (pinging), which can cause power loss, poor acceleration, reduced fuel economy, and, if done long-term or under heavy load, potential engine damage, as the lower octane fuel ignites too early under compression, but modern cars with knock sensors can often adjust timing to prevent immediate harm, making a single mistake less critical than continuous use.
There's no single "best" petrol brand in Australia, as all fuels must meet strict government quality standards, but premium fuels from major brands like BP, Shell, and Ampol (Caltex) often contain detergent additives that keep engines cleaner, with many drivers favoring BP Ultimate or Shell V-Power for performance, though basic fuel quality is largely the same across brands. The main difference lies in these proprietary additives, not the base fuel, which comes from similar sources, so your choice depends on your car's needs and your budget, with premium fuel offering potential benefits for performance engines.
The standard (95 octane) petrol has become E10.
If your vehicle is not compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able to use E5 by purchasing the 'super' grade (97+ octane) petrol.
Most failures are caused by the three 'turbo killers' of oil starvation, oil contamination and foreign object damage. More than 90% of turbocharger failures are caused oil related either by oil starvation or oil contamination. Blocked or leaking pipes or lack of priming on fitting usually causes oil starvation.
Performance: V6 engines typically offer more horsepower and torque, which makes them suitable for heavy-duty tasks and towing. Fuel Efficiency: Turbocharged 4-cylinder engines generally provide better fuel economy, ideal for daily commuting and Murrieta driving.
6 Ways to Protect Your Turbo Engine
Regular petrol is generally the greener option
At the unleaded pumps you'll normally see two options: regular, or E10, and a premium option labelled E5. E10 means there is 10% ethanol in the fuel mix; E5 means 5%. If you only look at mileage per pound, the premium shouldn't have any advantage.
Engine Protection
98 petrol, which is more stable and resistant to 'knocking', is a better choice when it comes to engine protection. 95 petrol works as well, but if your engine is powerful, it will use higher pressures that 95 petrol may not be able to withstand.
Yes, you may combine standard and premium petrol. Because both fuels are unleaded, they will not affect your car's engine. However, if you drive a high-performance vehicle with a high-compression engine, blending ordinary and premium gasoline may not extract the best performance from the engine.
If you have been filling your vehicle with E10, but go to fill up at a station where only E5 is available, it is safe to mix the two. They are very similar substances, but one contains more ethanol than the other. The UK is actually a late adopter of E10.
E10 is a type of petrol that replaced E5 as the standard unleaded petrol at UK fuel stations. It is clearly marked as E10 on the fuel pump, so you can't put it in your car accidentally. E5 is typically marketed as “high-octane” or performance fuel, but will also have E5 on clearly labelled.
A combination of additives in the E5 petrol help clean the injectors and fuel lines, clearing deposits of carbon and any lacquer build up which bolsters performance.