I don't see anything primitive about them, seem well built, tight turning radius ( tighter than some of the other sub compacts. If the comparisons were true) at a comparable price. What's not to like? What they weight a couple hundred pounds more? Maybe some buyers feel that's a small trade off for a tighter turning tractor, that lifts a couple hundred pounds more. Again at an affordable price.
Could it be that some owners of subcompact tractors didn't realize they could get a slightly larger. Stronger more conventional (primitive like ag.Tractors) for comparable price