SEOUL, South Korea — Volkswagen A.G. has selected two sizes of the Nexen N'Fera AU7 all-season performance tire as an OE fitment on the 2020 Passat mid-size sedan sold in North America, according to Nexen Tire Corp.
The fitments — 215/60R16 95T for Canada and 215/55R17 94H for the U.S. — are the second Nexen fitments on a VW model in the past couple of years. VW fitted the 2019 Jetta with the Nexen N'Priz AH8 all-season tire.
Nexen did not explain why the fitments are different for each country.
The 2020 Passat is a four-door, five-passenger sedan that is offered in four trim levels: S, SE, R and SEL. The standard OE fitment is 215/55R17, while the SEL models come shod with 18-inch five-spoke two tone wheels and 235/45R18 tires, according to VW, and the R-Line models feature 19-inch five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels and 235/40R19 tires.
The 2020 Passat is powered by a 2-liter turbocharged, direct-injection 4-cylinder, rated at 174 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque and mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Other OE tire fitments include the Giti Comfort A1.
Nexen claims the N'Fera AU7 offers "significantly" improved wear capabilities and braking performance on wet surfaces versus previous models, thus providing reliable performance in diverse weather and road conditions across North America.
The N'Fera AU7 has received prestigious design awards such as the IF Design Award and the Red Dot Award from Germany, as well as the IDEA Design Award from the United States.