Sometimes it’s an assassin’s bullet that changes the course of history. Other times it’s freak weather that upends the world.

We compare the 2004 Scion xA, Chevrolet Aveo, and Kia Rio Cinco to find the best budget college car, evaluating performance, practicality, comfort, and value on a real-world road trip.

Throughout automotive history, only a handful of breakthroughs have fundamentally changed the way cars are built, driven and ...