0W-8 Engine Oil: What Cars Use It And Why Is It So Expensive?

If you've worked with cars for a while or have owned a few, you probably know that different vehicles use different types and classifications of engine oil. These oils are designed to lubricate an engine's internal components and prevent friction and heat. Popular oil types include 5W-30, 10W-30, and 0W-20. However, that's a small sampling of the oils you'll encounter in modern cars, and many newer vehicles are now rolling off the lots with increasingly thinner — and harder to find — oils. One oil type that has been the subject of much recent discussion, due to the difficulty customers have in locating the oil for DIY oil replacements, is 0W-8 engine oil.

You can find 0W-8 engine oil used in a handful of Toyota and Mazda vehicles. It's frequently used in hybrids, like the Mazda 2 Hybrid 1.5L sold in overseas markets and the Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Other Toyota vehicles sold in the States that use 0W-8 engine oil include the Toyota Crown with 2.5-liter Hybrid engine, the Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD models. Outside of the U.S., you can find Toyota Yaris Hybrids and Yaris Cross Hybrids, in addition to the Mazda model mentioned above, that use 0W-8 engine oil, too.

While not many vehicles currently use 0W-8 engine oil, it has become a topic of discussion in Toyota owners' groups, thanks to the difficulty some customers have had in locating it, as well as its inflated price when compared to other more common engine oils. If you're wondering why that is, stick around. Here's everything you need to know about 0W-8 engine oil.

The primary issue that many owners of newer Toyota vehicles have with 0W-8 engine oil is that it's expensive and difficult to find. Various Toyota drivers report being unable to get the oil even at a Toyota dealership, making oil replacements difficult for customers who wish to adhere to the recommended guidance in their vehicle owner's manuals. It may seem odd that even dealerships struggle to get their hands on this fluid. However, there are a couple of reasons why 0W-8 engine oil can be hard to find and why it comes with an inflated price tag when compared to other standard oils.

First, 0W-8 engine oil is much thinner or less viscous than most mainstream engine oils. The oil is engineered this way for a purpose, which we'll get to shortly. However, making the oil that thin requires a complex refinement process, as well as the inclusion of additional detergents and additives. Refining oil isn't cheap, and the extra steps that manufacturers must take to refine the oil down to such a low viscosity are a big part of why 0W-8 engine oil costs more than traditional oils like 5W-30 and 10W-30.

Another significant reason why 0W-8 engine oil can be both hard to find and expensive is that it's relatively new in the world of cars. As mentioned, engine oils have traditionally been much thicker than 0W-8 oil. Right now, only a handful of vehicles use 0W-8 oil as recommended by the manufacturer. That means that stores and lube shops may be less inclined to stock large amounts of the fluid, as they probably don't have many customers asking for it on a regular basis.

Now that you know what cars use 0W-8 engine oil and why it can be both difficult to find and expensive, you may be wondering what's so special about it in the first place. As mentioned, 0W-8 engine oil is substantially thinner than standard motor oils. It's not exactly a secret that engine oils have become thinner in recent years, with oils like 5W-20 and 0W-20 becoming increasingly popular. There are a few reasons why this is.

Thinner oils are able to move through an engine much more efficiently than a thicker oil. Those thinner oils create less friction and allow the engine to expend less effort when circulating oil, translating to less wasted power and increased fuel mileage. The second part of this equation is that the U.S. government has put forth various fuel-efficiency standards for modern vehicles. Manufacturers are obligated to adhere to these standards and are now building increasingly efficient engines in order to meet fuel-efficiency goals.

These modern engines are built with substantially tighter tolerances and clearances, meaning that the space between individual parts and the amount of deviation between optimal and allowed dimensions, have become increasingly smaller. It's more difficult for thicker oils to move through these engines, which results in the need for thinner, less viscous oils. New 0W-8 engine oil is substantially thinner than other oils, as indicated by the numbers and letters like "W," and is designed for efficient hybrid engines. Hybrid vehicles rely on electric power during certain driving situations, meaning the engine doesn't work as hard or as frequently as those found in traditional cars. That makes a thinner oil even more necessary, as thicker oils are designed for more strenuous driving, engines with greater tolerances, and, often, higher operating temperatures.

Learning about 0W-8 engine oil and why some manufacturers are beginning to recommend it is great. However, if you drive one of these vehicles, you may still be wondering where to buy the oil, especially after discovering how difficult it can be to source and how expensive it can be. Fortunately, it's getting easier to find 0W-8 engine oil, and there may even be several stores near you that stock the product.

If you're planning a DIY oil change, one of the best places to find 0W-8 engine oil is your local auto parts stores. Places like AutoZone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, and NAPA Auto Parts all stock 0W-8 oil on their websites. You can check the sites to determine whether your local shop sells the oil, or you can visit a store in person and ask an employee. Alternatively, you can order 0W-8 oil directly from one of these stores' websites if you don't have access to a brick-and-mortar location near you.

Besides dedicated auto parts stores, you can find 0W-8 engine oil through other vendors like Amazon, where you may be able to find slightly cheaper prices. Keep in mind that Amazon products, especially car parts, may not always be labeled correctly, so it's important to buy from reputable sellers. You can also reach out to your local dealership to ask whether they can sell you 0W-8 oil directly, or you can check the online parts department. While 0W-8 oil is still relatively new, it is becoming easier to find. Prices are also still a bit inflated when compared to more traditional oils. However, as time goes on, those prices may begin to fall more in line with those of other popular lubricants.