Newer-more expensive outboards - with EFI are easier to start,

I certainly agree with that. My merc 60 EFI starts with the first turn of the
key and idles out of the slip. No pumping the ball, no choke/enrichener, no
smoke. Just click-varoom. That's is 500 hours later with nothing but oil
changes.
I don't go fast very often but my fuel consumption seems to be about 2 GPH. I
am currently doing a more scientific test plotting it over a couple months use.