I can only imagine the "this ain't no real truck" comments I'll get with this but the OP wants to know his best options and here's what I went with. I pull my Tracker Pro V-16, among other things, with my 2009 Honda Ridgeline with no problem. It's rated to tow 5,000 lbs and has a bed capacity of 1,100 lbs. I get 18-19 mpg in my normal travels (city/rural) and the last trip with the boat I got 16 mpg. As mentioned by others, nothing is going to get great mileage while towing.
We take it on a 350 mile trip one way up to Black Lake with 4 people and the truck/boat loaded to the gills. We actually can fit more stuff than in the V-8 Dakota we had previously, mostly because of the in-bed trunk that's comes in handy.
I researched all my options and the Ridgeline fit my needs perfectly. I've had all sorts of pickups from full sized 4 door Dodges, 1500 Chevys, Rangers and S-10's. I am realistic as to what I need and I know I don't need a Full sized V-8 pickup for everyday use and certainly don't need a $40,000 - $50,000 bill to buy one. I don't have a farm or own a construction business, just need a reliable 4WD pickup to pull the boat or load up some plywood and 2x4's for a project.
The dual acting tailgate along with the best ride and handling of any PU was just icing on the cake for me.
Good luck in your search
