The number
of new vehicle models that need — or at least run better on — the priciest
gasoline has steadily risen from
166 in the 2002 model year to 282 this year.
More may
be on the way. Automakers are turning to smaller, high-performance engines,
which use premium as a way to
boost mileage without losing power.
Being able
to boast of a couple more miles per gallon can be a selling point but won't
quell the ire down the road of buyers
having to put in the glamour gas, says the auto testing chief for Consumer
Reports. "People really, really, really dislike
putting premium into their car, you see the cheaper fuel right in front of
you, and you can't use it."
Gasoline could hit an inflation-adjusted record this week.
A range of vehicles require or recommend premium. Examples:
•General
Motors. Besides for big engines such as the 6.2-liter V-8 in the GMC Yukon
sport utility, premium is recommended
for the miserly 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine on the Chevy Cobalt compact
and Chevy HHR small SUV.
•Mazda.
Premium is recommended on the MX-5 sports car and CX-7 crossover, and it's
required on the RX-8 sports coupe
and racy Mazdaspeed 3. Failure to use premium in them could invalidate a
warranty if it were found to cause a problem, says spokesman Jeremy Barnes.
•Volkswagen.
Premium is recommended for even the new compact Eos convertible, along with
various versions of GTI, Jetta,
Passat, R32 and Touareg. "People who buy VW are looking for a more sport-drive
experience," says spokesman Steve Keyes,
and premium is part of the "trade-off."
•BMW.
While BMW calls for premium across much of its line, regular is OK as long
as motorists understand that engine power
will drop off 3% to 5%, says spokesman Rob Mitchell.
There are
attempts to avoid premium. The new Cadillac STS has a direct-injection six-cylinder
engine with 18% more horsepower
that doesn't need it.
Owners manuals are usually the quickest way to find out if a car needs premium.