Yes the 2.4lt mivec like the fuel, especially the auto's. I don't think anyone buys them for the fuel economy anyway, mainly grunt/mod factor.
If you look at the USA forum's they all whinge about the fuel economy in the auto's (I think mainly because they only came in auto's when they released the model in the US, no manual's imported, only auto's, poor yanks.
Plus the wagon's are a bit more heavier, but I think if you drive it easy the fuel economy isn't that bad in a manual, but it's too much fun not to give it a squirt, hence more fuel!