All I can add is you buy a vehicle on your needs. You to to tow 3500#+ frequently, you buy a vehicle for towing, your sick of stopping at a pump everyother day, you buy a vehicle for FE. Can they be combined? possibly, will the be efficient at both, probbly not. Just like you can't get outdoor grill taste in a microwave. They both are great at what they do, just not great at both things (fast vs taste).
I'm also in OK, and cold directly impacts FE. Lately I'm pressed to beat 27-29 in the near freezing temps. I've read here that you need a few miles to "warm" everything up. My commute is over in 5 miles, and it's just warmed up then, so a 10-20mi commute I suppose would be better. I also live in the country, so no stop & go, mostly 1-2 miles at a time, 45-60mph between stops. Apparently not Hybrid friendly, but still beats the 12mpg I get in my V8 Expedition I use when I need to move stuff/tow.
