Well your analysis reinforces the basic principle of engineering that my instructors taught me over 5 decades ago in college. That is, engineering at it's best is always a compromise. The end result is that designers end up with more pluses than minuses on those proverbial + & - charts that in total best satisfies the target end users needs as defined by product management (or a different name group that does the same activity).

Have yet to see a lift truck that can lift the most weight to the highest heights, have the smallest overall foot print, turn on a "six pence" (as Sir Neville Bowman Show use to acclaim about his products), get the best overall fuel economy (which is really hard to define because the variety of application a forklift is used in) and have the latest in "creature features), with a high level of quality for longevity and be marketed at a price that is at bottom rung of the ladder scale. I worked in Product Management & Sales most of my 41 years in the lift truck industry and visited Leighton-Buzzard to meet w/ Nevile & Trevor - a unique experience for sure.

In other words engineering is just like the key to having a long & happy marriage. There will be lots of compromises with the end result of having more pluses than minuses. Had to it twice before getting it right. LOL