RON stands for Research Octane Number that measures the octane quality of fuel. This represents the fuel’s ability to resist premature and uncontrolled combustion that occurs when fuel pre-ignites before ignition by the spark plug. This is otherwise known as ‘knocking’.

This represents the minimum RON value of the fuel. The higher the RON rating, the harder it is for the fuel to ignite prematurely, which means the more resistant than a RON 95 fuel. However, every engine requires a different minimum RON.

That depends on your engine. Your vehicle can use RON 95 if it is designed or set for RON 95 or lower. Your vehicle’s manual should specify what minimum Ron value fuel to use. Sometimes, this information is printed on or around the refueling cap.

However, the best thing to do is to check with your car dealer or engine manufacturer, or with an authorized mechanic. Some vehicle have been re-tuned for a higher RON after leaving the car dealer/manufacturer. When unsure, check with an authorized mechanic for the requirement of your vehicle, and to see if it can be tuned back to accept a lower RON fuel (say from RON 97 to RON 95).

Some newer make cars are equipped with ‘knock sensors’ that detect the octane quality of the fuel used, enabling it to automatically adjust spark timing. If you use a lower RON, the car automatically re-tunes to prevent knocking. But if you use a higher RON fuel, the car automatically optimizes spark timing to extract more power from the fuel. However, you should not use a fuel that is below the minimum RON required by your engine."

For cars without such sensors, always use a fuel that meets or exceeds the minimum RON recommended.