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For reference: I drive SF <> LA monthly in a 2008 Avalon with advertised highway 28mpg. Cruise control set to 75. My average is just above 30mpg. Windows shut, AC on. Costco in Gilroy had 87 for $6.10. Stations along the 5 ranged ~6.70-7.50. My car says premium only but since gas in CA is so fresh I've done 87 for 10 years, no issues.

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Spurred me to dig out an anecdote: 2005 Toyota Solara, 3.3l V6, vacation trip from CA to UT and back, Sept 2016, moderate A/C use: 6 days, 2550 miles, 28.9 mpg (100% lowest-octane "regular" gas used). As others have noted, driving smoothly with minimal/gentle acceleration has a major mpg benefit.

Since you're someone who tracks numbers, you might try doing a run with 91 or 93. I've done the comparison on every car I've owned and in every case the dollars per mile (not dollars per gallon) is better with the higher octane.

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