If you’re tempted to “treat” your car to premium fuel – don’t bother..

If you’re driving a high performance sports or luxury car – chances are you’ll need to pay extra for some fancy fuel...

But for the rest of us, regular will do just fine. Consumer Reports’ Jeff Bartlett says the reality is, most cars don't need premium. If your owner's manual specifies regular fuel, don't be tempted to treat it once in a while to premium. If you must treat the car, instead invest in routine maintenance, quality tires with low rolling resistance and an occasional hand wash.

If premium is "recommended," rather than "required," that means that premium gasoline will deliver the engine's peak performance - but unless you're racing, the difference in performance from one fuel to another is negligible.