‘Will it really matter?’: Driver gets criticized for putting regular gas in 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. Here’s why

A driver said he wanted to test whether the type of fuel he used made a difference for his car. So he filled up his 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser with regular gas. Viewers criticized him for doing so.

Jon (@trdjon) uses his TikTok account to post about all things Toyota. In the caption of one of his recent posts, he says that he is "adding regular gas into my new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser." He asks, "Will it really matter?"

Viewers were shocked that he would use regular gas instead of premium. But Jon pushed back against the assumption that the Land Cruiser requires premium gas. 

What the manual says

“Let me share the manual with you guys,” he says holding up the car’s official operation manual. 

“In the Land Cruiser’s owner manual if we head on over to page 640, this is what it says, guys. ‘You must only use unleaded gasoline. Select premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher for optimal engine performance and fuel economy,’” he reads from the book. 

He says, “So that means if you want all the horsepower that this vehicle has, if you want all of the foot pounds of torque that this vehicle has, and if you want to achieve the optimal miles per gallon, then you should be putting premium gas in it.” 

Jon then turns back to the owner’s manual, “Now it goes on to say that at a minimum, the gasoline you should use should meet the ASTM D4814 standard in the United States. [I] looked this up too on Google. Basically, what it’s saying is it is a standard of gasoline in the United States that all accredited gas stations have.” He concludes that his Land Cruiser will be fine even if he uses regular grade fuel.

Most gas stations offer three to four types of fuel, but what exactly is the difference between them. And does it matter if you switch one out for the other in your tank? 

According to State Farm, it’s recommended to follow the car owner’s manual when it comes to choosing your fuel. This is because each car’s engine is designed for a specific type of gas.

Regular gas

Regular gas is the type of gasoline that is used by most cars. It has the lowest octane rating of all the main types of gasoline—regular, midgrade, and premium—available, usually at around 87. Regular-grade gas is sometimes also called "Unleaded" by gas companies.

If you use premium gas for a car that calls for regular gas, you won’t get any additional benefits when it comes to the performance of your car. But it will cost you more to fill up your tank.

Midgrade gas

Falling right between regular and premium, midgrade gas usually has an octane rating of around 89 to 90. Some companies refer to this type of gas is as "Plus" or "Special" gas. Few cars today call for midgrade gas. However, it could be beneficial to use if your car has engine knocking or pinging when using regular gas.

One viewer backed this up in the comments section. “If you get knocking/pinging, esp. when the engine is under load, you need higher octane. it’s not for mileage, horsepower, torque. it’s to avoid potential engine damage,” they warned warned.

Premium

Premium gasoline has the highest octane rating of all the types of fuel available, normally between 91 to 94. This type of gas is usually meant for high performance vehicles, and is sometimes also called "Ultra" or "Super" gas. 

If you use regular gas for a car that needs premium gas, you may notice a reduced performance. You may also notice a decrease in fuel economy. Prolonged use of the wrong type of fuel can also cause your car’s engine to be damaged. It can also lead to expensive repairs.

Diesel and Flex fuel

If you’re not using regular gasoline to power your vehicle, you’re probably using diesel or flex fuel as an alternative. 

Diesel fuel is only used for cars that have diesel engines. These vehicles are often heavy-duty, and their engines are built differently than those that use gasoline. So it’s important not to mix the two.

Flex fuel is made from an ethanol and gasoline mix, with the ethanol being derived from renewable resources like corn. Using flex fuel in a gas car may cause the “check engine” light to come on, but making this mistake one time probably won’t cause severe damage. Just switch back the next time you fill up your tank. 

@trdjon Adding regular gas into my new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser ???? Will it really matter? #toyota #landcruiser #lc250 #trdjon #toyotalandcruiser #lcprado #offroad #suv #gx ♬ original sound - trdjon

Viewers weigh in

Viewers strongly disagreed with Jon’s choice to use regular gas in his Land Cruiser. They argued in the comments section that the type of gas doesn’t only affect the car’s performance but also the running of the engine. 

“The engine’s compression is intended for premium, therefore putting in 87 your engines computer will adjust to avoid head knock but your prematurely going to wear the top end of the engine cams/seals,” a second added.

“Think of the repair cost of the engine vs the 15 cents more for the gas,” someone else pointed out.

The Daily Dot reached out to Jon via TikTok direct message. 

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