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Yes: numerically smaller = taller gearing.
Because...
1) The vast majority (94%) of people buy automatics instead of manuals, and they want to increase their fleet average MPG.
2) Manuals can be marketed as "sporty", which unfortunately means high RPM for best engine response/power in top gear
3) In the 80's & 90's, fuel economy used to be a "byproduct" of relatively simple, light, moderate or low-powered economy cars with manual transmissions. Now fuel economy has become a "feature", and to get the "feature" you have to pay more for the automatic.
4) Marketers/product planners think people are incapable of downshifting their manual transmission for power/passing/climbing once they've shifted into top gear.
5) Many auto journalists will complain about "too tall" gearing (see Ford Fiesta 1.0L turbo)
6) etc...
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