Was thinking of buying one. Currently driving a 2004 WRX and thinking of maybe the 2015 STi when it comes out. I'm pretty sure it will require 93 octane like all the other STi models before it.
I know there are quite a few performance cars that are tuned from the factory for 93. I mentioned the STi, but I've heard the Corvette, Porsches, exotics, and other high performance engines are tuned for 93. And of course some mods require higher octane to take advantage.
As far as I can tell, none the refiners producing California Air Resources Board compliant unleaded fuel actually blend a 93 or 94 octane unleaded as part of their regular stream of fuel. I've seen a few gas stations in California that sell 93 or 94 octane (and some that go 96 and 98), but I suspect that they're using blending pumps that mix 100 octane CARB-compliant race fuel with 91 octane. The prices seem to reflect that compared to when I've seen 94 octane for sale while visiting the East Coast, where it might be 20 cents a gallon more than 91 octane premium (or where 93 is the only premium grade sold at some places).
All I could find was a photo from a Canadian gas station, but I specifically remember 94 octane readily available (and only a bit more expensive) on a couple of East Coast trips:
I know there are quite a few performance cars that are tuned from the factory for 93. I mentioned the STi, but I've heard the Corvette, Porsches, exotics, and other high performance engines are tuned for 93. And of course some mods require higher octane to take advantage.
As far as I can tell, none the refiners producing California Air Resources Board compliant unleaded fuel actually blend a 93 or 94 octane unleaded as part of their regular stream of fuel. I've seen a few gas stations in California that sell 93 or 94 octane (and some that go 96 and 98), but I suspect that they're using blending pumps that mix 100 octane CARB-compliant race fuel with 91 octane. The prices seem to reflect that compared to when I've seen 94 octane for sale while visiting the East Coast, where it might be 20 cents a gallon more than 91 octane premium (or where 93 is the only premium grade sold at some places).
All I could find was a photo from a Canadian gas station, but I specifically remember 94 octane readily available (and only a bit more expensive) on a couple of East Coast trips: