Volkswagen produced a saloon version of the Mk4 Golf, launched around a year later. As with previous incarnations of the Golf, it had its own identity, and this time was called the Volkswagen Bora although the name Jetta remained in North America and South Africa. Unlike its predecessors, the Bora/Jetta featured unique rear doors, front wings and bonnet. The front doors were the only body panels it shared with the Golf. The interior, though, was almost identical to the Golf, featuring very minor styling changes like its predecessor.

Volkswagen Jetta
The Golf 4 was produced in Germany, South Africa, Slovakia, Brazil, Belgium, and China. Eastern European locations making the Golf 4 included Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Vogošća, which also made Mk1 and Mk2 models.

The Golf/Jetta Mk4 engine choices included 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.3 litre VR5, 2.8 litre V6 and 3.2 litre R32 petrol engines, 1.9-litre naturally aspirated diesel SDI engine, and a 1.9-litre turbodiesel, with power ranging from 90 to 150 PS (66 to 110 kW). The R32 engine was not added to the range until much later, while the 2.3 V5 was a new addition to the Golf range. The rest of the engine line-up differed little from that of the MK3 Golf.

Volkswagen made a choice of three and five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon available. The European Golf wagon, launched in the spring of 1999, was nearly identical to the North American Jetta Wagon. The only difference was the use of the Golf front headlights, bumpers, grille, hood, and fenders as these parts are interchangeable between the Mk4 Golf and Bora/Jetta.

The Golf 4 was introduced to North America in mid-1999. Available engines for the Golf at its introduction to the American market were a 2.0 L gasoline engine, and a 48mpg 1.9 L TDI engine. In 2004 the updated 1.9L TDI PD or "Pumpe-Düse" engine was installed in the Golf and Jetta. The "Pumpe-Düse" or Pump Nozzle was a Robert Bosch extreme high pressure fuel injection system for direct cylinder injection. A 1.8 L turbocharged gas engine was introduced in 2000, along with the 12-valve 2.8 L VR6. At the same time, the 1.6 L 8-valve unit was replaced with the 16-valve unit from the Polo GTI, but detuned to 77 kW (105 PS).For 2000, Volkswagen opted for the relatively new 1.8 L 20-valve turbocharged gasoline engine as a base engine for the GTI. The top-of-the-line GLX model was equipped with Volkswagen's 2.8 L VR6, which produced 174 hp (130 kW). The VR6 engine, with its narrow 15-degree Vee design, was unique to Volkswagen. This engine is shorter and lighter (featuring a single cylinder head) than other V6 engines. For the 2002.5 model year Volkswagen introduced a 24-valve version of its VR6 engine to the North American market under engine code BDF. This engine had the same torque characteristics of the older 12-valve version which had been carried over from the Mk3 Golf under engine codes AAA and AFP. The 24-valve version gained an additional 26 hp (19 kW) over the 12-valve to reach 204BHP. In Europe, the VR6-engined V6 4Motion variant was produced from 1999 with 204BHP and a 24-valve engine from the outset, using engine codes AUE and AQP. In 2002, the European market began using the BDF-code engine at the same time as the North American market. This had the same 204BHP power output but now featured variable valve timing on the exhaust valves which allowed the engine to rev more freely in the higher ranges and now had "coil-on-plug" ignition coils. The 1.8T and VR6 models continued until 2005, when the Mk4 platform came to an end in North America (except Canada). Both the Mk4 Golf and the Mk4 Jetta were still in production in Brazil, Mexico, and China as of 2008, it was named the Mk4.5.

The Mk4.5 Brazilian Golf TDI PD was sold in Canada due to its popularity as a full 2006 models in base, GL and GLS trim levels for the full model year as there were no diesel engine versions for the North American 2007 Mk5 Golf (Rabbit).

In Europe, trim levels were country-specific however the base trim levels were: Trendline, Comfortline, Highline and GTI, any others like the Ocean, Pacific and Edition Trim levels were modifications of the regular four trim levels.

The United Kingdom sold the Mk4 with the following trim levels: E, S, SE, GT TDI, GTI TDI, GTI and V5/V6/V6 4MOTION versions. The V5 was available in 150 bhp/110 kW (1997-2000) and 170 bhp/125 kW (1999-2003) versions.

The GTI 25th Anniversary Edition was a special version of the Golf GTI for the European market to commemorate the first GTI, launched in 1976. The 25th Anniversary edition was available in three paint colour options: Tornado Red, Reflex Silver & Diamond Black.[5]

The GTI 25th anniversary edition was equipped with many extra features not included in the standard GTI, which included: 18x7.5" BBS RC wheels with a special shot peened finish, a perforated leather steering wheel, shift boot, and handbrake, red accented seat belts, red and black upholstered Recaro seats, a body kit (front valance, side skirts, hatch spoiler, and rear valance), blackened headlights, a 02M 6-speed manual transmission, larger 312mm front brakes and 256mm vented rear brakes with red painted calipers, a lowered sport tuned suspension, and brushed aluminium interior trim.

At the 2002 New York International Auto Show, VW announced the 25th Anniversary Edition would be sold in the US Market as the GTI 337 Edition, named for the early 1970s Golf/GTI codename. Available only in Reflex Silver, the 337 Edition was substantially the same as the European 25th Anniversary GTI, albeit without the black headlight trim.[6]

These models were never equipped with a sunroof as to take the car back to its roots, the Mk1 GTI, and improve handling and performance. However, one instance of the 337 edition is known to have been special ordered with a sunroof.[citation needed]

This version of the GTI was only available in a 3-door configuration and was also available with the PD150 TDI engine, running the shortest ratio EFF 02M 6 speed manual gearbox. (Standard GTI TDI models had the PD150 engine with the ERF 02M gearbox, the mid-way point for ratio length).[citation needed]

The UK versions of the Anniversary edition were numbered with individual plaques placed on the fusebox cover.