Let’s just go ahead and declare this Mazda month. In recent weeks, I’ve looked at Mazda’s MX-5 Miata and its CX-9 midsize crossover. Today, we’re looking at the CX-5 compact crossover, and in two weeks we’ll cover the Mazda6 sedan.

Blame scheduling woes. I’m supplied test cars not by dealers, but by manufacturers. What I drive and when is subject to corporate prerogatives and press-fleet scheduling, not personal preference or dealer input.

More’s the pity.

Anyway, my apologies for having created the all-Mazda channel. All this back-to-back testing has had an upside, though; it’s clued me in to the consistency of Mazda’s vision.

The CX-5 and the 6 are fraternal twins; separate body styles on a common platform, with common mechanicals, safety systems and telematics. The crossover arrived in 2012 and was the first Mazda to fully employ the company’s Skyactiv efficiency measures. The sedan is new this year to the States.

The CX-5 reflects Mazda’s push toward lighter and more efficient vehicles that balance comfort and performance. Although it’s more firmly suspended than some competitors, the CX-5’s ride is fluid and compliant. This year, revised shock-absorber dampers reduce body lean without harshness. Precise and communicative, its power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system has the best feel in the class.

Two engines are available. The base engine, a 155-hp 2.0-liter four, is paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, and is available only on front-drive trims. The up-level choice is a 184-hp 2.5-liter six mated to a six-speed automatic with selectable drive modes. AWD is optional.

Front-drive trims are rated at 29 mpg combined, with 26 city mpg. The 2.0-liter gets 35 mpg on the highway, the 2.5 33. With AWD, the 2.5 is rated at 26/24/30.

Both are quick enough — and the six can hold its own with higher-powered entries — but the aim is balance, not raw acceleration. No turbochargers equals no turbo-lag; across the power band, a foot to the throttle prompts instant engine response.

The 2016 CX-5 gets the latest version of Mazda Connect infotainment package. Mazda Connect includes a 7-inch touchscreen interface backed by a multifunction controller knob; HD radio; Pandora Internet radio; automatic crash notification; SMS text message reading; and audio system voice controls.

Although the touchscreen controls elicit familiar complaints — key functions are buried a layer too deep — the system offers multiple input options. Besides the touchscreen, a console-mounted rotary controller — backed by assorted hard buttons — simplifies access. The system also is voice-activated.

Other updates include styling tweaks to the front and rear ends, an electronic parking brake and improved sound insulation (Mazda claims a 10 percent reduction in cabin noise). Larger door pockets and a bigger console bin boost incidental storage.

Newly available safety systems include blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, collision-mitigating braking, and radar-based intelligent cruise control.

Following the 2010 dissolution of its operating agreement with Ford, Mazda struggled to regain its footing. The first vehicle to fully implement the Skyactiv program, the CX-5 delivers on the company’s vision of exuberant, comfortable and efficient motoring.

2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD
Vehicle base price: $21,395 Trim level base price: $29,470
As tested: $33,480
Towing capacity: 2,000 lbs
Options included intelligent cruise control; “Smart City Brake” support; navigation; LED headlights, foglights and daytime running lights; adaptive headlights with automatic high-beam; lane-departure warning; auto-dimming mirror with Homelink.
EPA ratings: 26 combined/24 city/30 highway