The lobing is certainly a feature when controlled properly, Genelec even directly states it's an intentional part of the design to improve low frequency directivity.
The Kef Reference 4C also has it, but again, directivity above it is much better controlled.
Regardless though, almost all the centers at this price range are crap so this one is actually really good. Only the coaxials have better directivity, but they usually have more compression or distortion than this. Plus on axis flaws sometimes.