The 1997 Mazda 626 did not receive any major changes for the year, as a redesign was on the horizon for the following year.

The 1997 Mazda 626 is available in four trims: the base DX, the midrange LX and LX V6, and the ES. The ES is the high-end version, coming well-equipped with amenities such as power seats and leather upholstery and the V6. The base engine is a 2.0-liter, 118-horsepower four cylinder. The V6 boasts 2.5 liters and 164 horsepower. Fuel economy for the base engine was 23/31, and for the V6 it was 20/26.

Many 1997 Mazda 626 drivers like the car because it handles well, is fun to drive, has a comfortable interior, and gets reasonably good gas mileage. Some owners have had problems with flakey paint, and there is a lot of concern about the automatic transmission, which many say tend to fail at about 75 thousand miles.