Im sure this is debatable but I would take a 95 any day. I rode both and the 95 felt so much faster to me. much better bottom to mid.
I've owned 97, 99 and 02 KX250 and also rode a '87, to go back a few years.
To me the 97 had the biggest mid range hit. The 99 was mellower.. snappy, not slow, just not as fast as the 97. I didn't feel much difference between the 99 and 02. The 87 had a narrow mid-range powerband compared to the modern versions.