What grade fuel to use in my Honda Civic & do I need premium? (all years)

Here’s what Honda recommends you put in your Civic.

The Honda Civic remains Honda’s best-selling car and for good reason, it’s reliable, more spacious than ever, and cheap on the wallet.

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While the Civic is a basic car, it’s grown increasingly complex under the hood with turbocharged engines, direct injection, and Si models tuned for more sport over other trims.

Does Honda’s improved and more powerful engines mean they require premium fuel?

Not necessarily.

You’ll be happy to know that most Civic trim levels are happy with at least 87 octane.

However, if you have an Si model, Sport trim, or have a manual (not a CVT) for model year 2022+, those Civic trim levels require 91+ octane.

I’m going to go through each gen Civic with a screenshot from the actual Honda owner’s manual with what Honda tells you to put in the gas tank.

2022+ (11th gen) Honda Civic (Si models included)

For 2022+ Honda Civics, Si included, Honda makes it simple.

• Honda Civics with CVTs use 87 octane or higher
• Honda Civics with manual transmissions (Si included) use 91 octane or higher

2016-2021 10th gen Honda Civic (Si models included)

For 2016-2021 Honda Civics, Honda makes it simple.

• Models without SPORT mode use 87 octane or higher
• Models with SPORT mode use 91 octane or higher

If you don’t know if you have sport mode or not, check near your shifter for a SPORT button. If you don’t have a SPORT button, you don’t have SPORT mode.

2012-2015 (9th gen) Honda Civic (Si models included)

For 2012-2015 Honda Civics, Honda makes it easy.

• Regular Civics with 1.8L engines use 87 octane or higher
• Civic Si’s with the bigger 2.4L engines use 91 octane or higher

2006-2011 (8th gen) Honda Civic (Si models included)

For 2006-2011 Honda Civics, Honda is quite clear.

• DX, Canadian DX-G, LX, & EX Civics use 87 octane or higher
• Civic Si’s use 91 octane or higher

2001-2005 (7th gen) Honda Civic (si models included)

For 2001-2005 Honda Civics, including the 2002-2003 Honda Civic Si, Honda’s pretty clear.

• All 2001-2005 Honda Civics, including the Civic Si’s, use 86 octane or higher.

Yes, despite what you would think the Civic Si does NOT require premium. Here’s the screenshots of the owner’s manuals as proof.

1996-2000 (6th gen) Honda Civic (Si models included)

For model year 1996-2000, Honda makes it simple, only Si models require 91+.

• 1996-2000 Honda Civic EX, DX, HX, Canada DX, and Canada Si use 86 octane or higher
• 1999-2000 Honda Civic Si and Canadian Civic SiR use 91 octane or higher.

1992- 1995 (5th gen) Honda Civic (Si models included)

For model years 1992-1995, Honda makes it easy, all models, including the Civic Si trim, use 86 octane or higher.

• All 1992-1995 Honda Civics use 86 octane or higher

Conclusion

I’ll eventually add more generations but the above should cover 90 percent of Honda Civic owner’s still on the road.

Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or corrections in the comments section below.