I would guess mileage to be about 1 mpg better with the rwd. Me personally I would opt for the awd for several reasons....
1. resale---you could sell the vehicle in any part of the country
2. piece of mind during all weather conditions...rain etc. You never know while traveling what weather conditions you may come upon
Agreed here, AWD is the way to do it. You don't lose a ton of fuel economy, and you'll be able to put down all that power the 5.7L has, which is definitely a bit much for just the 2 rear tires, my GC only sends 60% of the power to the rear tires and will EASILY spin them, sending the full power to just the rear wheels sounds like a recipe for burnt rubber.
As others mentioned, AWD is easier to sell in an SUV, and you never know when you're going to want/need it. When that chance to take an awesome ski trip comes up and you get there through the snow, you'll know you made the right choice.
And FWIW, AWD and 4x4 systems are probably the least depreciating thing you can put on a vehicle.
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