"04 Sonata V-6...what grade fuel????

Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying an '04 Sonata V-6, but would not care to have to put
"hi-test" gas in the car. Can anyone tell me if this car uses "regular" grade
gasoline?

Thanks, J.M.

 

87 works just fine and is what is recommended. I've been using 93 for
the past three months though and it has made enough of a diference
that I'm going to stick with it. My fuel economy has gone up from a
consistant 19.5 MPG to 21 MPG. The car also runs smoother above 4500.
I used to get a little pinging past 5500 when the temperature was over
90F and the humidity was high. That went away when I switched to the
93.

 

Been running 87 since I bought it in May, no problems.

 

Same here, except since June.

J.W.

 

Hyundai would prefer you run 87 only. They believe using higher octanes
helps the buildup of carbon and causes more of a driveability issue after
the carbon is present.

 

This is a frequent topic of debate on Elantra web sites. The engines are
designed for 87 octane fuel and run best on them. Higher octane fuels
burn more slowly and less completely, resulting in increased engine
deposits and the resulting long term problems. On top of that, you're
paying extra for fuel that will ultimately damage your engine.

 

Not only that, but there was a study done (sorry no link, it was in
the newspaper several months ago and it would be too hard to find.)
The study showed a high percentage of gas stations were selling 87 as
a higher grade just to increase profits. Several in the Detroit area
were caught and given SMALL fines. This is when I stopped using higher
octane fuels, JMHO, with no available facts to support it. Maybe
someone else remembers this situation?

J.W.