The Types Of Gas A Volvo XC40 Takes (Explained)

On this blog, we do a lot of research regarding specific questions about different cars. Today we’ll look at the premium Volvo XC40 and answer what kind of gas this car requires. We’ve gone through the owners’ manuals of the 2018 – Present-day XC40 to find the answer. Here’s a quick answer:

Volvo XC 40 with a T5, T6, or T8 engine require premium gasoline with an octane rating of 93 or higher. XC40 with a T4 engine require premium gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher.

However, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Below we’ll dive into what kind of gas this car takes. We’ll talk about reformulated gasoline, E-85, and gasoline with additives. Should or shouldn’t you use this for the Volvo XC40? We’ll also talk about the fuel mileage of each generation as well as possible knocking noises and so much more. Read on!

Want to save money on gasoline? earn up to $0.25/gallon every time you fill up? GetUpside is a free-to-use cashback app for US gas stations. Use coupon code “THEDRIVERADVISER25” and earn an additional $0.25/gallon the first time! Click here to download the app for Android or iOS.

Details About The Octane Ratings

In the above-stated paragraph, we already touched upon the required octane levels for the different engines available in the XC40. We need to discuss a few more details to get a complete understanding of the fuel requirements for the XC40.

First, the T5, T6, and T8 engines require premium gasoline with an octane rating of 93 for optimum performance. However, premium gasoline with an octane rating of 91 may be used periodically when 93 octane is unavailable. Lower octane levels are strictly forbidden and will hurt the engine over time.

On the other hand, the T4 engine requires premium gasoline with an octane rating of 91 for optimum performance. However, regular gasoline with an octane rating of 87 may be used periodically when 91 octane is unavailable. Lower octane levels are strictly forbidden and will hurt the engine.

In all cases, we recommend you use higher octane levels instead of lower octane levels when the recommended octane level is not available. This is because this lowers the risk of engine damage.

However, using higher than recommended octane levels all the time (e.g., 95 when 93 is recommended or 93 – 95 when 91 is recommended) is not necessary. The engine won’t have any problem with it, but it also won’t derive any benefit from it, and it will only cost you more.

What Types Of Gasoline Can And Can’t Be Used?

Besides knowing the proper octane levels, there are several other things that you should be aware of concerning the gasoline you use in your XC40. These mainly include different kinds of additives used in the fuel.

Reformulated Gasoline

First, there’s the use of reformulated gasoline compared to non-reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline is gasoline that’s become popular over the past decade because it burns cleaner than its counterpart. For this reason, it has even become mandatory in some areas of the United States.

Therefore, it’s good to know that Volvo recommends reformulated gasoline. Its use won’t negatively affect the engine or decrease its performance. Overall, it’s just a better type of gasoline that should be used whenever available.

Gasoline/Oxygenated Blends Or E-85

Another important part we need to discuss is the use of oxygenated blends of gasoline. Most of the time, oxygenated blends of gasoline contain ethanol or methanol. Both of these chemicals are made from biosources. Therefore, types of gasoline that have these chemicals mixed into them burn cleaner. However, that doesn’t mean you can use them without precautions.

First, it’s essential to know that ethanol can be used with the Volvo XC40 for up to 10%. This is also referred to as ‘E-10’ gasoline. On the other hand, methanol is strictly forbidden, and using it will damage the engine and fuel system while a warranty does not cover this.

We can conclude that E-30 (30% ethanol) and E-85 (50 – 85% ethanol) should not be used in the XC40.

Gasoline With Added Materials

Finally, we have to talk about the use of additives in these types of gasoline. As a general rule of thumb, just using any additive marketed to you is a bad idea. The reason for this is that many aftermarket additives contain elements that are harmful to the fuel system and engine.

These elements are most likely going to be some form of silicon or micro metals. Even though many additives are supposed to clean your engine, many will harm your engine. Also, octane boosters are advised against since it’s better to immediately tank the proper octane levels.

To prevent figuring out what kind of additives are good or bad, it’s best to buy gasoline from certified TOP TIER gasoline retailers. Volvo, like many other carmakers, actually endorses buying this gasoline. This is because it already has all the proper additives mixed into it, and it has been proven to clean the engine and improve the lifespan of the engine. Visit toptiergas.com to find a retailer near you.

What If I Hear A Knocking Noise From The Engine After Refilling?

Hearing a knocking noise in a car is a normal occurrence. However, it’s essential to listen carefully to the loudness of the knocking noise. A slight knocking noise is normal, especially when the car is achieving peak performance (such as when towing or driving up a hill).

However, a loud knocking noise is a problem, especially if you refilled the car. In this case, you’re likely using gasoline with a lower than recommended octane level, and the car is not handling this well.

In this instance, the best thing to do is stop the car and call your dealer or garage. It’s very likely the car needs to be drained from its fuel, and the fuel filter will need to be changed. Ignoring the knocking noise will result in severe mechanical damage.

You might even hear a knocking noise after refilling with 87 octane or 91 octane depending on what Volvo says can still be used. Even though 87 octane can be used in the T4 and 91 can be used for the T5, T6, and T8, it’s not ideal. Again, you have to listen to how loud the knocking noise is. A faint knocking noise is expected, primarily if you use this kind of fuel over a more extended period of time. However, if this noise becomes very audible, you must take the necessary precautions.

Also read: 5 Common Problems Of A Volvo XC40

Does the Volvo XC40 Have Good Gas Mileage?

In the United States, the Volvo XC40 is sold with a few different engine configurations. These include the T4 and T5 gasoline engine (which aren’t that fuel-efficient) and the BEV and Recharge Twin, which are both (predominantly) electric vehicles. These vehicles do get a great MPG, as seen in the table below.

What’s The Gas Tank Size Of A Volvo XC40?

Volvo XC40 manufactured from 2017 onwards have a fuel tank capacity of 14.2 gallons or 54 liters. This means it costs $56,40 to fill up an XC 40, assuming an average gallon price of $4.

Sources

• https://volvornt.harte-hanks.com/manuals/2021/XC40_OwnersManual_MY21_en-US_TP32898.pdf
• https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/search.shtml?words=volvo+xc40

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!