Also included with better equipped four-wheel-drive models was an inclinometer above the radio/air conditioner that measured the tilt of the car.
Kia's five-speed manual pairs nicely with the engine, but an automatic transmission is available on four-wheel-drive models for an extra $1,000.
From the basic $6,000 model, the Gator line has expanded in a decade to include four-wheel-drive models and even six-wheeled variants.
The new two-wheel-drive models shared the front suspension with four-wheel-drive models.
It also produces a four-wheel-drive model called the Territory.
Prices start at $13,235 for the smallest models, while four-wheel-drive models with a bench seat behind the front seat start at $20,470.
The four-wheel-drive model adds as standard equipment a cruise control, anti-theft alarm and premium sound system.
A dash-mounted compass was standard on four-wheel-drive models, optional for two-wheelers.
A five-speed auto transmission is standard on four-wheel-drive models.
The four-wheel-drive models are nearly 200 pounds heavier than two-wheel-drive models.