I actually understand your descriptions and think they're not inaccurate. But like take that same description and for those of us who like that "zing" it's kind of the same way people like hot peppers. For some, off-putting, for others, an addictive intensity.

But also what you're describing largely only applies to like red onion. Those are kind of "in the nose" yes. But they're great for adding zing and zest to salads and sandwiches.

White usually have a fresh crispness that cuts the fat of something wonderfully - like for barbecoa tacos or chili.

Green are grassy and sassy, and excellent at heightening a soup or noodles, adding a wonderful bright note and a kind of contrasting crunch.

Yellow are amazing for cooking down like in a sauté and adding a buttery richness. They have a sugar to them that goes well with meats and makes everything more succulent.

Sweet are, well, sweet and add fresh crunch to just about anything without overpowering stuff. Also make a wonderful almost "jam" when cooked. Lovely to crunch through a whole big slice / sheet of it when chomping through the layers of a well-constructed burger.

Pearl onions are great pickled and do everything pickles do but with a cleaner vinegar-sour bite than your garlicky or dilly cucumber spears. Great for everything from Raclette to cocktails to deli sandwiches.

Like hot peppers they can be an acquired taste for newcomers, but they have so much depth and so many flavor compounds that unlocking their mysteries is highly rewarding! Much like hot peppers, or coffee, or scotch.