Using an octane rated higher than your vehicle’s requirement does what?

Using an octane rated higher than your vehicle’s requirement primarily does not produce an increase in power. Octane ratings indicate a fuel's ability to resist knocking or pinging during combustion, which is crucial for high-performance engines designed to use higher octane fuels. If your vehicle is designed for regular unleaded fuel (typically an octane rating of around 87), using premium fuel with a higher octane rating (like 91 or 93) will not yield additional power or performance benefits, as the engine is not designed to take advantage of the increased knock resistance.

Many vehicles operating on a lower octane rating will still perform effectively without knocking, therefore any extra octane won't contribute to enhanced performance metrics. Driving conditions and vehicle design play larger roles in power output than simply adding a higher rated fuel if the engine doesn’t require it.

This understanding explains why going beyond the recommended octane rating does not enhance the engine's power output, making it clear that simply choosing a higher octane fuel does not translate to direct performance increases for standard engines.