Corolla Hybrid - 2018 Fuel spec.?

I'd be curious to compare OZ op manual for Prius vs. Corolla Hybrid for same model year, regarding gaso requirement. I would not be aware of a reason for a fuel difference.

By the way, it is interesting someone is quoting chemical energy per gallon, which ought to correlate well with MPG. We do not get that number in the USA.

 

The requirement for Premium 95 in Corolla Hybrid (and Gen 3 which it is based on) was one key to me going to Gen 4.

My projection for Gen 4 was $5441 for 80,000km, for Gen 3 of Corolla Hybrid was $6689. Still a lot cheaper than a standard Corolla which would have cost about $13,537 for the same distance.

David - where you'll probably come out in front is in resale - eventually - where Corolla Hybrid appears quite a bit in front of PRIUS, plus it's cheaper to insure than PRIUS.

For those not in Australia, today, Unleaded 91 (Gen 4 spec) is $1.56/litre around the corner from me, whereas Premium 95 which Gen 3 requires is $1.68/litre.

Sorry - forgot the last part of your question - no, don't know about E10 - but I've not found it to be very satisfactory in that it gives poorer fuel economy to Unleaded 91 in previous cars.

 

I wonder why Toyota was specifying Premium for Gen3 in OZ? Alls I can think of better detergent package (whereas in USA the EPA makes the Regular have adequate detergent). Also it could be better MPG in OZ due to the energy content thing, assuming Toyota is concerned about meeting the as-advertized MPG.

I'd say just use Regular in the Gen3 (in the USA market).

 

Typically higher octane's for higher compression.

 

Anybody know what Toyota calls for in Japan to fuel the Prii?

I'm wondering if someone saw the engine compression ratio, and mistakeningly thought these cars needed higher octane.

Premium gasoline is actually slightly lower in energy content than regular. Of course a high octane engine can make better use of that energy.

 

Higher octane gasoline's main trait is it's harder to ignite, good for higher compression engines.

 

Almost all Euro cars here specify either 95 or 98 (eg AMG versions are 98), as does LEXUS & Infinity here, most local cars except the higher powered ones were 91, Mazda - all 91 except MX-5, VW are all 95 except GTI which is 98. Mustang 4cyl is 91, V8 needs 98.

TOYOTA - most are 91 except the Corolla Hybrid, Tarago V6, and Prius v which are 95 - and Toyota86 which is 98.

 

Does the owners manual say premium fuel is required or suggested? Timing is adjusted according to the fuel you use in your car and some that are designed to run on premium run on a lower grade of fuel with the timing retarded. This is common in the US.

 

TOYOTA's on-line sales documentation:

 

That's not always true in general. Although energy content varies, typically one way to get higher octane is by putting more aromatics into the Premium fuel, which increases energy. That is what a refinery does...makes more aromatics for the octane. Now then enter US EPA, who said aromatics are bad and they want to minimize aromatics. So in a USA regulated scenario, especially reformulated gasoline, it is true that (due to EPA gaso recipe demands) that Premium does not have much if any energy increase. But I suspect Premium in OZ or other countries might be juicy energy compared to USA. In the U.S. if you are out of RFG zones, I presume it is possible to find some Premium with more aromatics and energy, to the extent I perceive the variations allowable by EPA (re: small company exclusions, etc).

Chevon says in their gaso info web page (if still on-line - I have posted here in the past) that in RFG areas you should not expect more energy content in Premium, with some possible increase outside RFG areas, which is all I am trying to say.

 

We got regular gas at a Chevron up the coast from us in a small town (Powell River), and I'm not sure how/why, but that was the tank that couldn't be beat: at least 10% better mpg, without breathing hard.

 

Nothing (except US EPA) prevents having a higher energy Premium or Regular. Premium does not have to be higher energy, it just could be, depending on refinery recipe choices, which in the US, there is not as much choice or variation as EPA controls it.

 

I suspect Mazda is the exception, in that most of the others don't make actual changes to the engine, and just publish the various numbers for running it on a less than ideal fuel, if they even do that. It is all GM did for the 1.4L turbo in the Sonic.

This could raise a consumer beware scenario, at least in the US. The test gasoline for emissions and fuel economy is high octane(93 for EPA and 91 for CARB). So differences seen real world and window sticker in an engine "designed" for regular can include the octane difference as a reason.

Or expansion ratio.

This varies by market in the US. Premium can have ethanol, and some places still have ethanol free regular available.

The statement of whether premium is required or recommended is likely buried in the owner's manual in the fuel section.

Which reminds me, if the manual says 10% ethanol is okay to use, then Australia's E10 is fine to use instead of the high octane gas. The slight difference in octane won't be an issue, but the lower energy content from the ethanol will lower fuel economy.

Ethanol was used as an octane booster before the mandate in some regions; it came down to cost. Two of the commonly used aromatics for raising octane are xylene and toluene; both of which have value on their own. They both have a lower heat value (40.xMJ/kg) than octane(44.4MJ/kg), and while they are denser, their effective octane ratings, 118 and 121 respectively, means not much is needed to increase gasoline's.
Heat of combustion - Wikipedia
Gasoline's heat value ranges around 44 to 46 MJ/kg.
Heat values of various fuels - World Nuclear Association


What I should have stated was that the difference between regular and premium energy content is too small to be a reason for Toyota to call for premium in the Prius to ensure owners get the best fuel economy. If it is getting better fuel economy, it is because the engine can more efficiently make use of higher octanes.

 

@Trollbait you still with us? Can you speak freely??

 

Yes, poor proofreading there.