It also suck vs Infantry which no other heavy tank does, its a medium tank/tank destroyer.
Grenades have nothing to do with elite infantry, its their durability. Think rangers/shocktroops. lol
Since there are no "classes" as in CoH1, Elite in this game is just a combination of factors which puts it above what we considered "main line" infantry.
Received accuracy/armor/soon to be removed dmg modifier, normal nade/nuke nade/satchel/cancer nade/smoke, DPS, utility, cost/reinforce cost.
PG since CoH2 was released, was the standard and only "Elite" unit OH had. Just because we keep adding new units through DLCs and faction power level changed, it doesn't mean that the role they perform has changed.
In regards to the "weight"/classification on tanks, I'll say the most important aspect is HP pool, followed up by firepower (either it been AT or AI).
Panther/Pershing are just Premium/Advanced mediums. You can't really call a normal medium to a T3485, KV1 or E8 but you do so do it with the OKW PIV even if it's heavier armored. Same shit with Pershing, it has firepower and armor but lacks the raw HP pool to be a heavy tank.
Going back to grens:
I don't think there is a single specific thing holding them back, at least not as much as it was a couple years ago. Most indirect fire had been nerfed (mortars and artillery), formations has been improved and slowly and steadily DPS max potential from WFA/UKF as well as heavy cheese has been nerfed.
So, what is still lacking?
TBH, i'll rather see explored buffs AROUND grens and slightly touching the scaling of other factions than adding a 5th man to Grenadiers.
For example:
-Small nerf to long range DPS of bar while keeping it equal at close/mid. Not sure about UKF.
-Cheaper/faster/easier to use medkit at BP3. It could be changed to be a single drop no AoE healing crate.
-I had advocated before that i'll rather see a late game 5th man Pio instead of a 5th man. Capping/recrewing/repair would be improved without the whole problem with blobbing.
-Making plain bunkers and reinforce bunkers more viable without touching healing nor MG bunker performance. This can be done by heavily reducing the cost of constructing a bunker but moving the cost to the upgrades.
We shouldn't have to increase OH late game grens staying power during combat, but rather how they can stay in the field AFTER combat or soft retreating.