I was in your position 11 years ago when I bought my first new car. I've owned, raced, destroyed, offroaded and banged up enough cars now that I don't get as bent out of shape about them. I can understand the frustration of a new car problem.
As for octane, if you guys search, you'll find where import builders like toyota were testing and rating all of their cars on premium which boosted their HP and torque numbers. Most people ran regular and got less performance. Toyota and others ended up down rating their engines with the testing standards. Modern cars will advance timing based on a max torque spark curve in the programming. They will retard spark timing as load, coolant temp, oil temp, air temp, etc. all increase. The computer can use knock sensors and possibly cam and crank position sensors to detect misfires, preignition, and detonation and adjust timing accordingly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsepower#SAE_certified_power
"SAE certified power[edit]
In 2005, the SAE introduced "SAE Certified Power" with SAE J2723.[26] This test is voluntary and is in itself not a separate engine test code but a certification of either J1349 or J1995 after which the manufacturer is allowed to advertise "Certified to SAE J1349" or "Certified to SAE J1995" depending on which test standard have been followed. To attain certification the test must follow the SAE standard in question, take place in an ISO9000/9002 certified facility and be witnessed by an SAE approved third party.
A few manufacturers such as Honda and Toyota switched to the new ratings immediately, with multi-directional results; the rated output of Cadillac's supercharged Northstar V8 jumped from 440 to 469 hp (328 to 350 kW) under the new tests, while the rating for Toyota's Camry 3.0 L 1MZ-FE V6 fell from 210 to 190 hp (160 to 140 kW). The company's Lexus ES 330 and Camry SE V6 were previously rated at 225 hp (168 kW) but the ES 330 dropped to 218 hp (163 kW) while the Camry declined to 210 hp (160 kW). The first engine certified under the new program was the 7.0 L LS7 used in the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Certified power rose slightly from 500 to 505 hp (373 to 377 kW).
While Toyota and Honda are retesting their entire vehicle lineups, other automakers generally are retesting only those with updated powertrains. For example, the 2006 Ford Five Hundred is rated at 203 horsepower, the same as that of 2005 model. However, the 2006 rating does not reflect the new SAE testing procedure as Ford is not going to spend the extra expense of retesting its existing engines. Over time, most automakers are expected to comply with the new guidelines.
SAE tightened its horsepower rules to eliminate the opportunity for engine manufacturers to manipulate factors affecting performance such as how much oil was in the crankcase, engine control system calibration, and whether an engine was tested with premium fuel. In some cases, such can add up to a change in horsepower ratings. A road test editor at Edmunds.com, John Di Pietro, said decreases in horsepower ratings for some '06 models are not that dramatic. For vehicles like a midsize family sedan, it is likely that the reputation of the manufacturer will be more important.[27]"
