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The Hyundai Sonata is designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane. Using premium fuel won't give you any performance boost as the engines in these cars aren't built for it. The latest Sonata model comes with an 18.5-gallon fuel tank capacity. It has a city MPG rating of 25 and a highway rating of 35, providing a city trip range of 460 miles and an impressive highway trip range of 650 miles. This makes it an ideal choice for long road trips, as you won't have to make frequent stops.
A 2020 Hyundai Sonata runs perfectly fine on regular gasoline, although you have the option to use premium fuel for better performance.
Can a Hyundai Sonata be fueled with regular unleaded gasoline?
The Eco Reg recommends using Shell V-Power fuel for your Sonata for optimal engine performance, smoothness, and volume. If it fits your budget, sticking with Shell V-Power is a great choice, as this fuel is loved by many car owners for its benefits.
Using premium fuel "for improved performance" is not accurate for cars equipped with low compression engines like the Sonata. The concept of octane level can be misconstrued. A higher octane level actually results in a cooler burn for the fuel, while high compression leads to elevated combustion temperatures. In simpler terms, higher octane fuel helps prevent premature detonation caused by the high compression and combustion temperatures within the engine's combustion chamber. Therefore, opting for a higher octane fuel may not enhance performance but could instead be detrimental to a low compression engine.
Regular 87 octane fuel is what the manufacturer recommends. Switching to premium gas may not offer significant benefits, making it not worth the higher cost. Additionally, E88 from Sheetz performs well with this type of fuel.