In Ukraine, among all Passats, the first-generation Volkswagen Passat NMS (2011-2019) is in huge demand – a sedan built on the basis of the European Passat B6/B7 specifically for the American, Chinese, and South Korean markets, and represents a cheaper and simplified version of the latter. The abbreviation NMS stands for “New Midsize Sedan” and is used only to distinguish such a four-door from the European Passat, but is not an official part of the name.
For Ukrainians, the Passat NMS has become a huge reliable sedan for reasonable money (on average, such a car sells for 9-14 thousand dollars). Despite the fact that it is simpler than the European Passat, for Ukrainians this model has become more interesting – and it's not just about a more attractive price. Firstly, the Passat NMS is much more practical: it is 10 cm longer and 1.3 cm wider. Secondly, it has a successful combination of units: an “indestructible” 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine (the passport resource is 360 thousand km, but many drive more) and a very reliable 6-speed automatic AISIN 09G. The European Passat, for comparison, mainly comes with other, more finicky engines and a problematic DSG robot.
The only drawback of the 2.5 engine is huge fuel consumption, in the city it is about 15-16 liters. However, in our realities, this problem is easily solved by installing LPG. In addition to such an engine, the American Passat NMS lineup also included 1.8 TSI, 2.0 TSI, 3.6 V6 engines, as well as 2.0 TDI.
Finally, experts noted the soft suspension – it behaves excellently on our uneven roads.
