AC

Robyn Gerry-Rose and Erik Rose aren't exactly car people. These days, they are focusing on re-establishing their careers. The married couple from Culver City, Calif., has no plans to start a family, catering instead to a pair of cats. They actually are very much the kind of people who buy small, entry-level cars, like those showcased in the Cars.com/USA TODAY $16,000 Subcompact Shootout. Robyn, 27, an audio technician, and Erik, 40, an illustrator, took turns behind the wheel of each of the seven contenders and came away with strong opinions, even though they aren't car shopping. They are delighted with the 1995 Toyota Avalon sedan they currently share. In the end, they settled on the Honda Fit hatchback as their clear favorite for its power, comfort and visibility. They chose it despite being initially turned off by its snout, which Erik described as "insect-looking." Their twin dogs were the Kia Rio— which they found noisy, rough and sluggish — and Nissan Versa, which seemed...