They Told Me, Get a Ford Raptor Truck So I Did, But the First Time I Filled Up Cost Me $137, Are You Kidding Me?

“Get a truck,” they said. Now I’m wondering if I made the right decision. 

Nicholas, advised by his friends to buy a Ford Raptor truck, was in for a shock when he saw the bill for his first fill-up. 

As I was exploring Ford Raptor trucks, I stumbled upon a post from Nicholas Sakha (@nicksakha) in his TikTok video. His surprise at the cost of filling up his new truck is understandable. I can hear his disbelief as he fills his Shelter Green Raptor truck up at a Chevron station.

He says, “At first, I’m like, this truck is cool; look at the girl over there checking it out. I love this truck. Then I turned and looked at the pump, and it was $40.00. Then I looked again, and it was $72.00. Now I’m getting concerned. How much will it take to fill this thing up? 

Now He’s Afraid To Look At the Amount

“The next time I look over, it’s $92.00 and still going. I mutter a swear word that I won't repeat. Oh, my gosh, It’s going over $100. Where is it going to stop? I look away, and when I finally hear it stop, it’s $137.34 and 29.86 gallons. Are you kidding me?”

Note: The Ford Raptor has a 36-gallon fuel tank capacity. So, Nicholas had six gallons left in the tank. 

Nicholas Buys Premium Fuel

The reason why it cost so much to fill up his truck is because he used premium fuel. So, Nicholas paid $4.59 per gallon, the 93-octane premium fuel price. Did he have to buy premium, or could he have filled it with 87-octane regular unleaded fuel? 

Though the Ford Raptor can run on 87 octane gasoline, 93 octane premium is a better choice since the engine is the turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6. 

Though the higher octane premium unleaded fuel is better in the Raptor, Nicholas is having some doubts because there is a significant price difference between regular and premium. 

Former Torque News reporter Marc Stern wrote an excellent story about this question: Is it better to use 93 octane (premium) or 87 octane (regular) in the Ford F-150 Raptor?

Marc says, “For some people, the answer is a definite no; gas is gas. Meanwhile, for others, the answer is a strong yes. Premium gas makes a difference in performance.”

In a recent Car and Driver test, they took four popular vehicles, including the Ford F-150 Raptor, and set them up for testing. They used the Raptor with a turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 powerplant for this test.

Which octane fuel performed better, premium or regular?

According to the C&D report, the Ford Raptor's performance is significantly affected by the octane rating of the fuel. With a tank filled with 93 octane gasoline, the Raptor achieved a 0 to 60 run in 5.3 seconds, an impressive feat for a vehicle of its size. 

However, when the crew switched to 87-octane fuel, the Raptor's performance noticeably declined. The Raptor lost 20 horsepower and half a second on the track, demonstrating the clear performance advantage of premium fuel.

Here Are the Results

• 87 octane 0 to 60 run: 5.9-seconds
• 93 octane 0 to 60 run: 5.3-seconds
• 87 octane quarter-mile time: 14.5 seconds
• 93 octane quarter-mile time: 14 seconds
• Speed trap findings: 4 mph difference
• 87 octane shows a 1.9 psi dip in turbo response

What’s the Raptor’s Performance in Every-Day Driving?

As you can see, there is a noticeable difference in the Raptor’s performance from 0-60. However, most Raptor owners are more concerned with how the truck performs in daily driving. 

What About Commuting to Work?

Car and Driver performed a real-world test proving premium gasoline performs better in daily driving. They took the Ford F-150 trucks used for testing to an interstate, where they set the cruise control to 75 mph. Cruising at 75, the testers found that premium (93 octane) gasoline returned 17.6 mpg. When they changed the fuel to regular (87 octane), they found that the Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost powerplant achieved 17 mpg, a difference of .6 mpg.

That works out to be 21.6 more miles per tank on the Ford Raptor using premium fuel. 

The EPA estimates that the Ford Raptor with the 3.5-liter turbo engine gets 14 city/18 highway mpg and 16 combined mpg of regular 87 octane gasoline. 

What is the price difference between 87 octane and 93 octane?

According to recent AAA data, the national average price difference between premium 93-octane gas and regular 87-octane fuel is around $0.80 per gallon, with the premium being significantly more expensive. 

So, it will cost Nicholas about $29.00 more per tank to fill up with premium fuel versus regular 87-octane gas. 

Final Thoughts and Questions for Ford Raptor Owners

If you want the best performance in your Ford Raptor or other performance truck, you can buy 93-octane premium gasoline. For good performance, 87 octane regular gas will be acceptable for most drivers. 

It's Your Turn

Do you own a Ford Raptor? What type of fuel do you prefer for your truck? Regular, Mid-grade, or Premium? We want to hear about your experiences. Click the red 'Add New Comment' link below and share your thoughts.

Check out my Ford Raptor report titled; Ford Dealer Says “My Ford Raptor R Customers Always Want Me to Remove the $1,800 Graphics, But I Would Keep Them On”

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Nicholas Sakha