Many years ago I had a Mercury Mystique (mistake) that got ok mpg ( it never ran right, so it never achieved good mpg) then a honda civic that got really good mpg (40 mpg most of the time). Several 4x4s later, I finally bought my 4th gen and it's the most fuel efficient 4x4 I've ever owned.
Like said earlier, you get used to the mpg- to a point. I never could get used to the 8 mpg my lifted Z71 got while chugging premium. It was fun but always filling up got old. At one point, I was literally working just for the gas.
I drive about 70 miles a day so mpg counts but so does fun to drive, reliable, and able to tackle rough, muddy, snowy roads.