Volkswagen made a few adjustments to its Jetta lineup for 1997. Gone was the Wolfsburg Edition, while new to the lineup was the Jetta Jazz, which was geared toward music enthusiasts and equipped with special upholstery and an upgraded sound system with a CD changer. Similarly, the Jetta Trek was aimed at biking enthusiasts, and came with a roof-mounted bike rack, special cloth seats and instrument gauges, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and foglights. A sporty Jetta GT was also added.

Still in the lineup were the stalwarts of the Jetta lineup, including the Jetta GL and the Jetta GLS, both powered by a 115-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine linked to a five-speed manual transmission, which was standard. The entry-level GL package came with bucket seats, dual airbags, power brakes, power steering, power door locks, tilt steering, and an anti-theft alarm system, while the GLS added cruise control, power heated mirrors, air conditioning, and power windows.

Also available were the Jetta TDI turbodiesel and the Jetta GLX, which was equipped with a 172-horsepower, 2.8-liter V6 engine and came with a full range of standard features, including a sunroof and anti-lock brakes. Leather seats were optional.

Drivers had mixed opinions of the 1997 Jetta. Some offered high praise for the car, citing its roominess, reliability, handling, and performance as positive points. Others were less than enthusiastic about their cars, noting a lack of quality and the need for numerous repairs.