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There's a lot more to it than just comparing the gear ratios on paper.
I have contemplated making a dedicated thread that explains what's different about this style of transmission than what most of you guys are probably used to. I have studied several of the popular 6 speed (and 7 or 8 speed) transmissions.
Most people think of a modern 6 speed auto like it's an old 4 speed + 2 more gears. That's not how they work. The gearsets are different, the torque converter control is different, the holding elements (clutches etc) are different, the shift logic is different, and in the case of Toyota the valve body hydraulics are different.
The increased fuel economy rating here is for a lot of reasons. You have to understand that fuel economy is performed through 5 different test cycles averaged together according to an EPA formula. There can also be differences in the ENGINE calibration between the manual and automatic--the throttle mapping, torque reduction requests during shifting.
Don't "under-think" it.
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