Expensive gasoline does not create more power in a car; it simply lets the engine perform closer to its designed potential. This idea is echoed by Vadim Strelbitsky, who leads the mechanical repair department at Avilon Kia, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. The core takeaway is clear: using fuel with an octane rating below what the manufacturer recommends can limit how well the engine runs and degrade efficiency.
Experts emphasize a straightforward rule of thumb: always fill with gasoline that meets or exceeds the octane specification set by the car maker. In practical terms, if a vehicle is designed for AI-95 or AI-98, using AI-92 can lead to performance issues, reduced responsiveness, and higher fuel consumption over time. The recommendation is not about chasing the highest octane for every model but about honoring the engineered tolerances of each engine family.
From a technical perspective, several risks accompany suboptimal octane choices. When the fuel’s octane is too low for the engine’s compression, knocking or detonation can occur. This clogs the combustion chamber, stresses components, and ultimately dims the engine’s ability to extract the intended horsepower and torque. In addition, the mismatch can force the engine-management system to compensate with richer mixtures or aggressive timing corrections, which further decreases efficiency and increases fuel usage.
Strelbitsky notes that higher octane fuels, such as AI-100, do not automatically deliver more power. The detonation resistance of such fuels is determined primarily by their octane rating. However, higher-octane gasoline can enable the engine to run as it was designed, especially in engines with higher compression ratios or turbocharged setups that anticipate such fuels. In other words, AI-100 is not a magic boost but a tool that helps the engine achieve the performance its design supports when the fuel system and ignition timing are optimized for that level of octane.
On the market side, price movements for octane-rated fuels have drawn attention. Market data from major commodity exchanges show fluctuations in AI-95’s price, with recent reports indicating a decline over a weekend period to around 73,100 rubles per tonne. These figures reflect trading activity and supply-demand dynamics that can influence retail prices. In late July, AI-95 prices reached a higher level, trading near the 75,000 ruble mark per tonne, a level not seen since the previous year when AI-95 marked a historical high. It is worth noting that market prices are sensitive to many factors, including seasonal demand, refinery maintenance, and macroeconomic conditions that shape energy markets globally.
Meanwhile, AI-92 has shown price movement as well, with a modest increase over a recent span, highlighting how different octane tiers can diverge in value. For consumers, this underscores the importance of checking the manufacturer’s recommendation for octane and understanding that paying more for higher octane does not guarantee more power in every case. The engine’s durability and efficiency come from the proper match between octane, compression, and timing, rather than from the octane number alone.
Industry observers also warned about broader cost pressures that could affect driving schools and related services in the fall, pointing to potential cost-of-ownership considerations for drivers beyond fuel alone. This reminder ties back to a practical takeaway for vehicle owners: maintaining the engine with the correct octane and staying attentive to fuel quality can help keep operating costs predictable while preserving performance across miles and seasons. In the end, the engine rewards riders who align fuel choices with the car’s design, not those who chase higher octane for vanity alone. Prices and policy shifts aside, listening to the vehicle’s recommended specifications remains the soundest strategy for reliability and efficiency.