Which Lexus Models Use Regular Gas?

DGIX

March 3, 2025

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There are plenty of luxury car brands on the market today, so if you have the funds to indulge in a next-level ride, you have plenty of options. One of these is Lexus, which has added sedans, SUVs, hybrids — such as the 2025 Lexus ES — and more to its catalogue throughout the years. Lexus has won over many drivers with its blend of comfort, style, and efficiency it packs into each vehicle. However, that’s not to say that all Lexus vehicles are perfect.

Yes, despite their penchant for elegance, luxury vehicles are prone to having their own downsides. For example, some luxury cars have terrible MPG, and many under the Lexus banner don’t even take 87 octane or “normal” gasoline. Rather, it’s recommended by Lexus that these specific models only run on premium-grade, 91 octane gasoline. This typically results in paying more at the pump, as if fueling up wasn’t already pricey enough. Fortunately, if you like what you see out of Lexus’ offerings, but don’t want to opt for more expensive fuel, you’re not out of luck.

Throughout the decades, Lexus has released plenty of vehicles that run on standard gasoline. These are the ones to keep an eye out for.

Lexus spent the 1990s moving away from 87 octane

Lexus launched way back in 1989, meaning that its first decade in the luxury car world was the 1990s. Despite this, the brand didn’t take long to shift its focus from regular gas-powered cars to those that should be used with the premium stuff. In 1992, Lexus came out strong with three 87 octane-friendly models: the LS 400, SC 300, and SC 400. However, the following year, the shift toward 91 octane truly began.

The ES 300 was the only Lexus model of 1993 to embrace 87 octane, with it carrying the flag for the fuel type for the next several years. From 1993 to 1998, the Lexus ES 300 was the only car the brand offered that was pitched as capable of running smoothly on regular gas. However, with the dawn of the new millennium on the horizon, that lonely streak finally changed.

For that model year, the ES 300 was joined by the RX 300 — the ES and RX lines being among the most successful in Lexus’ history. This was a small gain compared to the premium gas-powered lineup, though; which had grown to include the likes of the GS 300 starting in 1993, the LX 450 beginning in 1997, and the LX 470 in 1999. The future seemed grim for 87 octane models heading into the 2000s, and it was. Even though more joined the fray throughout the decade, for much of it, they were out of the picture entirely.

The 2000s was a rough decade for regular gas Lexus models

While Lexus did expand its regular gas-powered offerings a bit with the introduction of the RX 300 alongside the ES 300, this expansion didn’t last forever. From 2000 to 2001, these were the only two 87 octane models out, with the LX 470 joining in 2002. 2003 saw the GX 470 arrive, 2004 saw the ES 300 replaced by the ES 330, and the RX 300 replaced by the RX 330.

These newcomers to the scene and the LX 470 held down the ship in 2005, only for 2006 to bring with it a major shakeup. Lexus dramatically shrunk its regular gas vehicle catalogue that year, selling only the LX 470. The following model year, these options evaporated completely. In 2007, a mere few years after having four regular gas vehicles in its lineup, Lexus dropped them entirely.

The brand kept with this trend through to the end of the decade, but what led to this decision? Simply put, these four vehicles were upgraded and became premium fuel models. The LX 470 became a 91 octane model in 2007, before being replaced by the LX 570 in 2008 and 2009. The ES 330 joined the premium fuel club in 2006, with the ES 350 taking it over in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The RX 330 followed a similar path in 2006, before 2007, 2008, and 2009 brought in the RX 350. As for the GX 470, it became a 91 octane vehicle from 2006 to 2009.

87 octane came back into style for Lexus throughout the 2010s

Though it seemed the end of regular gas-powered Lexus vehicles came during the mid-2000s, the 2010s saw them return in a big way. In 2010, the Lexus HS 250h hit the market, with the CT 200h and ES 350 joining it in 2011 in the 87 octane camp.

The RX 350, previously being a premium gas-recommended ride, rejoined the regular gas lineup in 2012, with it and the aforementioned three vehicles remaining Lexus’ only offerings in this category throughout 2013 and 2014. The NX 300h joined them in 2015 to complete the assortment of five Lexus vehicles intended for 87 octane that endured through 2016 and 2017.

Come 2018, Lexus’ standard fuel lineup changed a bit. The CT 200h was retired and the RX 350L was introduced. The following year, 2019, the UX 200 and UX 250h burst onto the scene, amounting to Lexus’ most robust catalogue of 87 octane vehicles in some time. To close out the 2010s, Lexus offered the ES 300h, ES 350, NX 300h, RX 350, RX 350L, UX 200, and UX 250h to those wanting to avoid paying for premium gas in their luxury vehicles.

Though the following decade hasn’t completely turned its back on such rides so far, this level of selection hasn’t quite endured in the 2020s.

How Lexus has handled regular gas cars in the 2020s

At the time of publication, we’re halfway through the 2020s, and Lexus has taken its standard gas vehicles in different directions. In 2020, the group was unchanged from 2019 — consisting of the ES 300h, ES 350, NX 300h, RX 350, RX 350L, UX 200, and UX 250h. However, 2021 saw the removal of the RX 350L in favor of the ES 250, which ultimately turned out to be a short-lived model overall.

The ES 250, along with all of the other 87 octane vehicles Lexus had kept around, made it to the 2022 model year. However, unsurprisingly given how much Lexus had historically shuffled around its regular gas models, 2023 marked a major shift. For this model year, Lexus again dialed back its regular gas models significantly. Only the NX 250, ES, ESh, and UXh fit the bill, with this lineup sticking around into 2024.

It will be interesting to see how many 87 octane models Lexus ultimately releases under the 2025 model year. Given its track record of removing, adding, replacing, and completely abandoning such vehicles over the years, it’s safe to say its catalogue could go in any direction. There are plenty of Lexus SUVs of differing size you can buy today, along with sedans, coupes, and more, all set apart from one another. Thus, it’s important to know which fuel type is needed for each model — both for the sake of your gas budget, as well as the long-term health of your vehicle.

Why does gas type matter in Lexus and other luxury models?

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At first glace, the type of fuel you put into your vehicle might not seem like a big deal. However, there are some notable differences between regular and premium gas. As noted previously, the octane level is the biggest discrepancy between them, with a higher octane rating means the fuel is more stabilized in the event of combustion. It’s entirely possible that premium gas could include different additives as well, but that doesn’t mean premium gas lasts longer than regular. With all of this in mind, why is it highly recommended that specific Lexus models require premium gas instead of regular?

Basically, engines with higher compression ratios, like those in some Lexus models, require premium fuel to prevent internal damage. Lower-octane, less stable fuel can cause engine knock: A sound created due to irregular explosion from the vehicle’s fuel-air mixture. As if engine knocking wasn’t concerning enough, lower-octane fuel could result in further engine damage.

Worse yet, you could end up with your vehicle’s warranty voided, leaving you with quite a mechanic bill to cover on your own when it’s all said and done. So, if you do end up with a premium fuel Lexus, you should be ready to deal with the slightly higher gas prices than the cost of repairing a damaged engine due to cheaper gas use. Either that, or opt for one of the Lexus models that run on regular gas instead.

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