A generic noun for something being compared?

One possible word is comparate, defined as follows:

Com"pa*rate\, n. [L. comparatum, fr. comparatus, p. p. of comparare. See 1st Compare.] (Logic) One of two things compared together.

• alternatives
• candidates
• contenders
• considerations

Four alternatives were ranked based on their appropriateness in the above sentence :)

I'm pretty confident the word you're looking for is comparee. A comparee should be "that which is being compared", just as an employee is "that who is being employed".

It goes on to a comparer: that which compares, just as an employer: that who employs.

If anyone speaks latin here, maybe they could also share a latin word for this?

Options?

Representative (members) (of the class)? e.g. Consumer Reports looked at these four representative small cars.

Candidates? I know you don't like the implication that there is one best candidate, so this depends on context -- that applies to elections more than to which restaurant you're going to dine at tonight.

From the discussion in comments, "comparables" would work if it's not too geeky for your context. I would personally hesitate to use it in general discourse.

Edited to add: also from the comments, "comparand" by analogy with "operand", if your audience would grok that.