There's mixed city driving mileage, and highway driving. My 3/4 ton diesel will get 21 on the highway, mixed city is 15-17, winter time with long warm ups and 4wd is 13.
I don't see why anyone would want to tow a 10,000lb load with any 1/2 ton truck. Towing is more than getting a load up to speed, you have to stop the load and 1/2t truck breaks are not suitable for such use.
The thing is there are lots of people who occasionally tow 3000-5000 pound loads, 4 wheelers, snowmobiles, smaller boats, lighter campers etc,. For those people a 1/2 ton diesel that gets ~28 mpg on the freeway, 20+mpg mixed and 20+mpg towing a lighter load would be superb.
I agree - for lighter loads, a half ton will get the job done just fine. Buy a 3/4 ton or 1 ton for the bigger stuff. By the way, just curious what you're driving. I get about the same mileage as you in the warmer months (overall average is just under 20 MPG for city/hwy combined) but I don't drop quite as far in the winter. My truck is getting about 16 - 17 MPG in the winter. It's an 02 Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.6 L. Duramax.
