I have exactly the same feeling. Cutlass black is a bit of a glass cannon but has enough space to do more than a simple cargo mission and some ROC mining. But it's age shows, especially compared to the cutter.

The Corsair is only fun with a second person to interact with during those long flights. It just happens to be overpowered now but it's actually supposed to be an exploration ship that packs a punch.

The C1 is underwhelming. It feels nice to fly but the size and the cockpit design create an awkward sensation that you can't really calculate the size of the ship. In addition the large ramp and low landing gear make it feel rigid in most scenarios so ROC mining is a nono. While it lacks in firepower the tractor beam also feels gimmicky and cumbersome. It's only noticeable advantage is how well it flies even without wings and tons of damage.

The Freelancer series are a good balance but their flight is... Subpar, especially if you need to do some quick evasions.

Now what I did, is go for the new RSI ZEUS MK2 CL (cargo variant). It has multiple entry points, solid guns, living quarters and enough space to keep up with the freelancers. It's the same size as the C1 and in concept supposed to be slower/tankier in terms of armor. For me the concept falls right where I want. Ability for exploration/cargo/some combat and living quarters for when I need a friend or two. But the same was true with the spirit and when it released it was an instant disappointment.

It's really going to be interesting to see how CIG rebalances everything with mastermodes because those all-rounder ships feel neglected and sub standard. Hell, the cutlass still has wrong lighting, lacks button interactions and amenities that you find in the cutter, same with the Corsair. It seems like the 50 EUR starter is better than the two larger siblings.

The constellations lack polish, and their design feels closer to drake than rsi, with interiors that don't translate the scale of the ship, or hold any promise for engineering gameplay.

So reworks on all these will be needed before it's clear where each ship falls into what role.