EPA Exploring Use Of Higher Octane Level Fuel To Improve Efficiency Levels

How about taking the Ethanol out 1st and we will get better mpg's. Adding Ethanol burns gas faster.

Amen, amen, amen!!! It's time to ban ethanol.

There are two sides to "efficiency":

(1) Miles per gallon or Liters per 100 kilometers. This is the traditional measure, which most people look at, including those considering hybrids and pure EVs.

(2) Cost per mile. This is the better measure because it highlights the question: how much are you willing to pay to save on gas? Research has clearly shown that for many people, the extra money you spend on a hybrid WON'T come back to you in the form of savings from gasoline purchases. And yet, the reason why most people buy a hybrid is because they believe it will.

Where this applies to higher octane gas, is that yes, it may get you more MPGs or L/100km, which is what the EPA is aiming for, but it may cost you more in the long run in fuel costs as compared to burning much cheaper regular gas, or possibly diesel in markets when diesel is cheap.

FWIW, when I was shopping for a new vehicle, I compared the same vehicle with various engines:
- 2.0 liter turbocharged gasoline engine (requires premium gas)
- Same as above, but has a reputation for burning 1/2 quart of oil per 600 miles
- 3.0 liter turbocharged gasoline engine (requires premium gas)
- Hybrid with 2.0 liter turbocharged gasoline engine (requires premium gas)
- 3.0 liter turbo-diesel
After calculating a cost per mile (including fuel cost per gallon, oil consumption, diesel exhaust fluid consumption, etc.) I went with the diesel. I break even after about 75,000. After that, it's making me money compared to the alternatives.

The move to small, forced-induction, four-cylinder engines could be enhanced by higher octane gas.

I wish this site had a more open forum format where people can ask questions. With that said, I am looking more into buying a Diesel engine mid size car (Diesel prices are about the same as Regular gasoline). Typically I am a Japanese car guy. I know those cars quite well and they seldom breaks down.
My choices for diesel engine cars are mostly German cars. I know little to nothing about them. Could anyone point the positive and negative sides of these cars?

My criteria:
The car needs to be a midsize car
Price wise I am looking at the lower end of spectrum.
Performance. I am not looking for 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. It needs to be comparable to a similarly gas engine mid size car.e.g Honda accord.
I live in the NY tristate area where the average highway speed is less than 25mph during peak hour. The ride needs to be comfortable.

How much do you plan to spend? Are you leasing or buying?

If you have to have a diesel in the CamCord size, your "go to" choice is the Passat TDI. If you're a Japanese car guy, then the Passat will not be as reliable. The TDI engine is pretty good, but VWs tend to have a myriad of minor things go wrong. If the Passat TDI is your choice, I'd lease and dump it after 3 years. With VW desperate for sales, they will cut deals even on the more popular TDI models.

Is a Ford Fusion Energi out of your price range? Remember that there are tax incentives to drop the price of the car.

If you're looking for comfort, you should take a look at the Hyundai Azera and the Kia Cadenza. Both are excellent cruisers, but they cannot give them away. There's nothing wrong with them, but people can get an entry-level car with Mercedes written on it for the price of the Azera and Cadenza, so lack of brand prestige makes these cars gather dust. Ask for a steep discount and you'll probably get it.

@monster, I'm waiting for the new Mazda6 diesel to come out. They are testing the engine out in racing and it's killing everyone out there... Even Porsche so if I were you I'll hold until that arrives. Should be soon hopefully. I never owned one but I know they are much quieter and massive amounts of torque with great mileage.

Thank you MDarringer and Kussimek. You gave me some direction to start my research. I am not looking to get one right away. I can wait about 6 months or more. I have also never leased a car so that would be something I need to research on too.