Not at all. My current commuter is a 10-year-old Mitsu. Galant 5-speed. Don't let the "10-year-old" part fool you. It was NOT used as a commuter for many years, and has been extremely well maintained. It's in much better shape than many 2-year-old vehicles. The only part that shows it's age is (oddly enough) the windshield wiper arms, which are starting to rust. other than that, it looks pretty much new and runs better than it did when I drove it off the car lot when it was brand new. (it certainly gets better gas mileage now than it did when it was brand new)
But there's no need to focus on that car. Several cars I've owned behaved in a similar manner (better gas mileage at slightly higher speeds), made by Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Suzuki (multiple suzukis), and Dodge. Oh, and I not the only person who has noticed this, either. Many people I don't even know have had similar experiences with their cars.
Simply put, some cars do run more efficiently at slightly higher RPMs and-or slightly higher speeds.
As for the gearing of my car, it used to bug me a little (always thought engine ran too fast, wished for another forward gear beyond "5", etc.), but I got used to it. I don't believe there is anything wrong with it at all. You can't complain about 42MPG (well, 35 usually, but it does go up to 42 when I'm in a hurry). My cars usually get much better than EPA estimates, though. -Dave
