1998 Volkswagen Jetta — TDI

The 1998 Volkswagen Jetta TDI shipped with 2 different factory tire sizes, depending on the wheel package it left the factory with (this can also reflect a staggered front/rear setup). Check your tire sidewall or door placard to confirm which one applies to your vehicle.

This trim shipped with more than one tire size (staggered fitment, front/rear, or optional wheel package). Confirm which one matches your vehicle by checking your tire sidewall or door placard.

185/60R14

Section width185 mm
Aspect ratio (sidewall height)60% (111 mm)
Rim diameter14"
Overall tire diameter~22.7"
Revolutions per mile~887

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195/60R14

Section width195 mm
Aspect ratio (sidewall height)60% (117 mm)
Rim diameter14"
Overall tire diameter~23.2"
Revolutions per mile~869

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What this size means for your Volkswagen Jetta

On the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the factory 185/60R14 measures about 22.7″ in overall diameter with a 111 mm (4.4″) sidewall, and completes roughly 887 revolutions per mile. Its 60-series aspect ratio gives a taller, comfort-biased sidewall that favors ride quality and shrugs off rough pavement. In tire terms it is a small-diameter fitment typical of older or economy vehicles.

The 185/60R14 and 195/60R14 differ in both width and overall diameter (0.5″, 2.2%), which usually means a staggered front/rear setup — the two sizes are not interchangeable side to side, so match each to its correct axle.

On a vehicle of this age, the Volkswagen Jetta may have been refitted with a slightly different replacement size somewhere in its life, so check the current sidewall — not just the factory spec — before buying.

Other 1998 Volkswagen Jetta trims

Volkswagen Jetta tire sizes by year

See every Volkswagen Jetta year & trim →

How to read a tire size

A tire size like 225/45R17 breaks down into three parts: the first number is the section width in millimeters (the tire's width from sidewall to sidewall), the second is the aspect ratio — the sidewall's height as a percentage of that width — and the number after the "R" is the rim diameter in inches. A letter prefix (P or LT) indicates Passenger or Light Truck construction; its absence usually means Euro-metric sizing.

Some trucks and off-road tires instead use "flotation" sizing, like 37X12.50R17 — here the numbers are the tire's overall diameter and width in inches directly, with the rim diameter last.

Always verify against the tire information placard on your driver's-side door jamb or your owner's manual before purchasing — tire size can vary by factory option package even within the same trim.