Kia Sportage Gas Type? [ Premium Or Normal? Answered ]

The KIA Sportage is a perfect example of a luxury crossover SUV that does it all. It seats five and has a six-speed automatic that delivers more than decent fuel economy.

Although the KIA Sportage is not as fuel-efficient as some of its competitors, it is one of the most comfortable vehicles in its class, and it’s packed with all the technology you could need.

KIA Sportage Gas Type

KIA Sportage uses high-quality unleaded regular gasoline with an octane rating of 87. 

Choosing an octane rating is difficult when you’re buying fuel. One octane rating isn’t necessarily better than another. It all depends on the car and its engine.

The octane rating has nothing to do with the energy content of the fuel.

The octane rating is simply the average of a fuel’s detonation resistance measured at 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit) and an atmospheric pressure of 101.325 kPa.

Most cars on the road require unleaded gas with an octane rating of 87. However, if your car requires 91 octanes or higher, you should only use that grade.

Otherwise, you risk damaging your engine.

If your car takes 87 octanes, you can use 87 or higher grade, but it may not be worth the price premium to use high octane fuel. In most areas, the highest octane is 91.

But high-octane fuel is not always the best choice.

Using a higher octane than your engine calls for will not improve performance. It could make your vehicle run worse because it will be less efficient.

When you buy higher octane fuel, you are paying more for the same amount of fuel.

Never Use Leaded Fuel

Using leaded fuel in your car’s engine will build up a lead in your engine. It is not suitable for several reasons, but the main one is that it can result in the lead being released into the environment from your car’s exhaust.

It will then result in the lead being released into the atmosphere. Your health can also be affected by breathing in lead fumes.

Leaded fuel is harmful to the catalytic converter. It is part of the exhaust system responsible for reducing the level of pollutants in your exhaust.

The more lead in your fuel, the less efficient your converter reduces your emissions.

It is particularly true for older cars, where the converters are less efficient. Older vehicles can also be damaged by leaded fuel; the older your car or truck is, the less likely it can withstand the effects of leaded fuel.

The only leaded fuel still available for sale in the United States is for helicopters and small, low-powered planes. It’s illegal to use leaded fuel in any other kind of engine, and for a good reason.

Leaded fuel was once one of the most popular fuels for cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and other small engines, but it’s an outdated fuel that’s too dangerous to use nowadays.

Unleaded Regular Gasoline With an Octane Rating of 87 is Recommended

Higher-compression engines allow a car to extract more energy from each drop of gasoline, yielding higher power at high engine speeds. Gasoline with a higher octane rating allows a higher compression ratio, permitting more power.

However, high-octane gasoline does not in and of itself deliver more power; it is the higher compression ratio of a high-compression engine that makes more power.

The octane rating measures a fuel’s resistance to premature ignition (detonation) from the heat and pressure of the engine. Fuels with a higher octane rating require a higher pressure to detonate and resist detonation and engine knocking.

You can use regular unleaded gasoline from any brand in your KIA Sportage. However, some brands of gasoline have higher octane ratings than others.

Suppose you use a higher-octane gas than the recommended octane for your Sportage. The engine computer may temporarily adjust the air-fuel ratio, and the engine may run a little richer than usual. It is not a malfunction.

However, running higher octane level fuel in your engine reduces the durability of your engine.

Fuel Requirement Based On Engine Type

The most common and least expensive engines are four cylinders. These burn the least fuel per hour on average, but like a 2-cycle engine, they lack the power to pull anything but the lightest trailers.

Like 6, 8, 10, and 12 cylinders, Larger engines are more powerful and burn more fuel per hour. They are also more costly, especially when towing a large camper, boat, or horse trailer.

KIA Sportage has a 4-cylinder engine that requires Regular Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87. The higher the octane rating, the more compression the fuel can withstand.

The Sportage’s engine operates most efficiently using high octane fuel. Using low octane fuel will result in engine damage.

The Sportage does not need to use a fuel stabilizer in the fuel tank.

The most fuel-efficient engines are the six and 8-cylinder versions that use the turbocharger or have the optional diesel engine. These engines have the power to carry giant trailers, but be sure to compare the cost of operating them with their benefits.

FAQs

Premium Gas on KIA Sportage?

It’s a great question asked by KIA drivers for years, so it’s about time someone answered it definitively. The short answer is that you can’t put premium fuel in a KIA and expect it to perform any better than regular fuel will.

KIA Sportage also has an engine built to be reliable and can handle many different fuel types. What is different about a Sportage compared to other vehicles is that it can take both mid-grade and premium fuel.

Does Premium Gas Runs Longer?

Premium gasoline is more expensive than regular gasoline, which may be a significant consideration if you are trying to stretch your dollar. While premium gasoline might offer better performance, it doesn’t always provide better fuel efficiency.

That’s because premium gasoline can sometimes cost as much as 10 cents more per gallon than regular gas.

The performance improvement comes into play with car-carbureted engines, but many cars today have fuel injection systems, which may or may not gain performance with premium gasoline.

Premium gasoline increases mileage by about 3% but only when the engine is operated at speeds of 70 mph or more. Premium is blended with higher octane content and is suitable for engines that require higher octane gasoline, especially the high compression engines.

Which Gas Station Should I Fuel My KIA Sportage?

Major car brands recommend fueling your vehicle at the most reputable or renowned filling station. Local gas stations are more prone to counterfeit and unethical people in business who will provide fuel at the cost of your engine.

Your KIA Sportage is made to run on regular unleaded gasoline. It would be best to try to use gas that meets Top Tier gas standards, which provides you with the highest level of engine cleanliness and protection.

Top Tier gas is required by cars we sell in California, New York, and the District of Columbia. It is available from most major brands at most gas stations in these areas.

Conclusion

In summary, KIA Sportage owners tend to be active, and with gas prices as high as they are, the Sportage’s autogas option can equate to significant savings. Since autogas has a lower unit cost per gallon, the cost of filling up a KIA Sportage is .75 cents to 1.25 cents less per gallon, depending on the city.

You should use premium if you drive on high-altitude or mountainous roads. The engine is working harder at high altitudes due to thinner air, and the octane content keeps the engine running smoothly.