Collection: VW Passat OEM Wheels

The Volkswagen Passat has been sold in the United States under that name since 1990, running through five distinct chassis generations before Volkswagen ended U.S. Passat production after the 2022 model year. Across that span the car moved between transverse and longitudinal engine layouts twice, switched bolt patterns once, and eventually split into a North America-specific chassis that shared little beyond styling cues with the Passat sold in Europe. Those changes mean that a wheel that fits one Passat generation frequently will not fit another, even when the two cars look broadly similar. This guide covers the Passat's U.S. and North American factory wheel specifications generation by generation, from the 1990 B3 through the final 2022 model year. Every dimension, bolt pattern, and offset below reflects independent research, and figures that could not be reliably confirmed are marked as such rather than estimated. Because the Passat has a documented history of differing meaningfully between the U.S./North American market and Europe, this guide is limited to specifications with confirmed U.S. or North American applicability.

Quick Specs at a Glance

Volkswagen Passat Generations and Model Changes

The Passat name first appeared in the U.S. market for the 1990 model year on the B3 chassis, replacing the Quantum. From there the B4 replaced the B3, the B5 replaced the B4, and the B6 replaced the B5. That straightforward line broke in 2011, when Volkswagen began building a Passat specifically for North America rather than importing the European car, a change that created a lasting split between the U.S. Passat and the Passat sold elsewhere.

Third Generation / B3 (1990 to 1994)

The B3 was the first Passat sold under that name in the U.S., replacing the Quantum for the 1990 model year. It used a transverse engine layout on an independently designed Volkswagen Group B3 platform related to the Golf. Four-cylinder B3 Passats used a 4x100 bolt pattern, while the VR6-powered GLX used 5x100 instead. Center bore was 57.1mm and the lug thread was M12x1.5. Base and GL trims ran 14-inch wheels with 195/60R14 tires, while the GLX VR6 used a 15-inch wheel with 215/50R15 tires.

Fourth Generation / B4 (1995 to 1997)

The B4 replaced the B3 for the 1995 model year in the U.S., carrying over the same transverse-engine B platform in facelifted form rather than representing a full redesign. The bolt pattern split carried over unchanged: 4x100 for four-cylinder models and 5x100 for the VR6-powered GLX, with the same 57.1mm center bore and M12x1.5 lug thread as the B3. Wheel and tire sizing also carried over closely, with 14-inch wheels on GL and GLS trims and a 15-inch wheel on the GLX, and later GLS V6 models moving up to 195/65R15 or 205/55R16 tires.

Fifth Generation / B5 (1998 to 2005)

The B5 replaced the B4 for the 1998 model year and represented a genuine platform change, moving the Passat to a longitudinal engine layout shared with the first-generation Audi A4. This is also where the Passat's bolt pattern changed, from the older 4x100/5x100 split to 5x112, a pattern the Passat has kept in every U.S. generation since. Center bore remained 57.1mm and the lug thread moved to M14x1.5. A mid-cycle facelift, commonly referred to as the B5.5, arrived for the 2001 model year and continued through 2005 without changing these fitment fundamentals. Volkswagen also sold a low-volume W8-powered Passat for the 2003 and 2004 model years; specific OEM wheel dimensions unique to the W8 could not be independently verified and are not included in the fitment table below. Confirmed B5 factory wheels include a 15x7 and 16x7 alloy wheel on 1998-2001 models, a 17x7 alloy wheel (the Largo design) on 2000-2004 models, and a 15x6 steel wheel at an ET37 offset on 2001-2005 models.

Sixth Generation / B6 (2006 to 2010)

The B6 replaced the B5 for the 2006 model year and moved the Passat back to a transverse engine layout on a platform related to the Golf Mk5/Mk6 generation, ending the Audi A4-based longitudinal architecture the B5 had used. The 5x112 bolt pattern, 57.1mm center bore, and M14x1.5 lug thread all carried over from the B5. The Passat wagon body style continued on the B6 through the 2008 model year before being dropped from the U.S. lineup. Confirmed factory wheels include a 16x7 alloy wheel at ET45 and a 17x7.5 alloy wheel at ET47; forum reporting from B6 owners also identifies ET45 as the generation's standard offset reference point.

North America-Specific Generation / NMS (2012 to 2022)

Volkswagen did not sell a new Passat in the U.S. for the 2011 model year. When the car returned for 2012, it was on an entirely different chassis, internally developed as the New Midsize Sedan, or NMS, and built at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This U.S. and North America-specific Passat is longer and roomier than the Passat sold in Europe during the same period, and it is not the same chassis as the European B7 or B8 despite the overlapping years and shared Passat name. The NMS received a styling update for the 2016 model year and a second update for the 2020 model year that brought its appearance closer to the global B8, though the underlying North American chassis carried forward rather than switching to the European platform. The 5x112 bolt pattern, 57.1mm center bore, and M14x1.5 lug thread continued unchanged across the entire NMS run. Confirmed factory wheels include a 16x6.5 alloy wheel at ET44 used across most of the run, a 17x7 alloy wheel at ET43 used on both early (2012-2015) and late (2020-2021) model years, and an 18x8 alloy wheel at ET48 used on upper trims from 2016 through the 2022 Limited Edition, the final Passat sold in the U.S.

Volkswagen ended assembly of the Passat sedan for the U.S. market with the 2022 model year, closing out the run with a Chattanooga-themed Limited Edition on 18x8 alloy wheels. Volkswagen cited the shift of the Chattanooga plant toward electric vehicle production, including the ID.4, as the reason for the discontinuation. The Passat nameplate has continued in other global markets in various forms since, but the sedan discussed in this guide, the U.S. and North American Passat, has not returned to the U.S. lineup.

Volkswagen Passat Wheel Sizes by Generation

Third Generation / B3 (1990 to 1994)

Fourth Generation / B4 (1995 to 1997)

Fifth Generation / B5 and B5.5 (1998 to 2005)

Sixth Generation / B6 (2006 to 2010)

North America-Specific NMS (2012 to 2022)

Factory Wheel Size Progression

Across the Passat's U.S. history, factory wheel diameter grew from a 14-inch standard fitment on the B3 and B4 to an 18-inch fitment on upper NMS trims and the final Limited Edition. The B3 and B4 kept a simple split between a 14-inch wheel on four-cylinder trims and a 15-inch wheel on the VR6-powered GLX. The B5 widened the factory range considerably, from a 15x6 steel wheel through a 17x7 alloy wheel depending on trim and package. The B6 offered a 16x7 wheel alongside a 17x7.5 wheel. The NMS spanned the widest range of any U.S. Passat, from a 16x6.5 base alloy wheel through an 18x8 wheel standard on upper trims and the run-out Limited Edition. Not every wheel listed here was available on every trim or engine within its generation, and the tables above should be read alongside the specific model year and trim in question.

What Is the Bolt Pattern on the Volkswagen Passat?

The Passat's bolt pattern changed once across the generations covered in this guide. The B3 and B4 split by engine: 4x100 on four-cylinder models and 5x100 on the VR6-powered GLX. Starting with the B5 in 1998, Volkswagen moved the Passat to a 5x112 bolt pattern, and every U.S. Passat generation since, including the B6 and the North America-specific NMS, has kept that same 5x112 pattern through the final 2022 model year. A wheel from a B3 or B4 Passat will not mount on a B5 or later Passat hub, and the reverse is also true.

Volkswagen Passat Center Bore and Offset

Center bore has remained 57.1mm across every Passat generation covered here, from the 1990 B3 through the final 2022 NMS. Offset varies more by wheel size, generation, and trim than center bore does. Verified factory offsets include ET37 on the B5's 15x6 steel wheel, ET45 on the B6's 16x7 alloy wheel, ET47 on the B6's 17x7.5 alloy wheel, ET44 on the NMS 16x6.5 alloy wheel, ET43 on the NMS 17x7 alloy wheel, and ET48 on the NMS 18x8 alloy wheel used on upper trims and the Limited Edition. Reliable offset figures for most B3 and B4 trims could not be confirmed and are not included as specific values.

Do Volkswagen Passat Wheels Interchange Between Generations?

A shared bolt pattern alone does not establish that a wheel correctly fits a different Passat generation. The B3 and B4 share a 57.1mm center bore with every later generation, but their 4x100 and 5x100 bolt patterns are not compatible with the 5x112 pattern used from the B5 onward, so wheels do not interchange across that divide regardless of appearance. Within the 5x112 group, the B5, B6, and NMS share bolt pattern, center bore, and lug thread, which means wheels from these generations are more likely to share correct mounting dimensions with each other than with the earlier B3 or B4. Even among the B5, B6, and NMS, width, offset, tire size, and brake clearance still need to be checked against the exact wheel and vehicle before assuming a direct fit, since the NMS in particular uses a different, North America-specific body than the European-market B5 through B8.

OEM vs. Replica & Aftermarket Wheels

Some drivers choose replica wheels for their similar appearance or price. If your goal is to replace a damaged factory wheel, a genuine OEM wheel offers the best path to the correct fit, finish, and overall appearance, without the extra research replica shopping usually requires. We offer genuine OEM at replica price levels, often less. Here's how the two options typically compare:

Volkswagen Passat OEM Wheel FAQ

What size wheels does the Volkswagen Passat have?
Factory wheel diameter ranges from 14-inch on the B3 and B4 to 18-inch on upper NMS trims and the final 2022 Limited Edition, with 15-inch, 16-inch, and 17-inch wheels used across the B5, B6, and NMS generations depending on model year and trim.

What is the bolt pattern on the Volkswagen Passat?
Four-cylinder B3 and B4 Passats use a 4x100 bolt pattern, VR6-powered B3 and B4 GLX models use 5x100, and every Passat generation from the 1998 B5 through the final 2022 NMS uses 5x112.

What is the center bore of the Volkswagen Passat?
The center bore is 57.1mm across every Passat generation covered in this guide, from the B3 through the final NMS.

What offset do Volkswagen Passat wheels use?
Verified factory offsets include ET37 on the B5 15x6 steel wheel, ET45 on the B6 16x7 wheel, ET47 on the B6 17x7.5 wheel, ET44 on the NMS 16x6.5 wheel, ET43 on the NMS 17x7 wheel, and ET48 on the NMS 18x8 wheel. Offset for most B3 and B4 trims was not verified in the available sources.

Do Volkswagen Passat wheels interchange between generations?
Only when bolt pattern, center bore, width, offset, and tire size all match. The B5, B6, and NMS share the same 5x112 bolt pattern and 57.1mm center bore, while the B3 and B4 use an older 4x100 or 5x100 pattern, so wheels do not interchange across that divide.

Did U.S. and European Volkswagen Passat wheels differ?
Yes, particularly from 2012 onward. The North America-specific NMS Passat is a different, longer chassis than the Passat sold in Europe during the same period, even though both carried the Passat name and, at times, similar styling. Earlier generations, including the B5 and B6, were imported from Europe and shared their basic architecture with the European-market car