Pete, I agree with almost everything you say here, but I will disagree with this statement, only for what I saw out of the designers for Transformers Animated.
I'm aware the designs were really polarizing (and obviously not nearly as complex as a lot of shows/toys), but that whole activity was really a labor of love for Derrick Wyatt and his guys, which I thought was pretty clear in not only the designs but the enthusiasm they showed for the show and line.
A small point, but it was a major one for me, in that it's partially what made me really enjoy TFA, something I hadn't done at all since Beast Wars.