MPG .... 5-Speed vs 4-Speed

[swng]

I have a few of speculations:

1. All being equal, gear boxes with more ratios (gears) are likely to be heavier,
2. Gear boxes with more ratios are more prone to be selected and driven by
more "enthusiastic" drivers on the whole i.e. not without exceptions.
3. Cars with more gears are usually designed with performance rather than FE in mind, again not without exceptions though.

I think these factors may be remotely related to the findings, if such findings exist, that within reasonable limits, a gear box with more ratios may not necessarily return better FE than those with less ratios.

Because my Matrix only has four forward gears, I have for some time been feeling bad because I don't have one more gear, but somehow I think I have once read/heard in a review that an engineer of the car maker reportedly said that the 4-gear box could actually return better FE in the 09 Matrix (don't know if it is my model) then a 5-gear box. Regrettably I cannot remember the source and the details.
But ever since then, I feel happier.

Sorry that I don't have solid evidence to support what I say. I just enjoy joining in the discussion.

This is a great forum!