And, of course, it is available in steel. Seems your concerns are of the result of the trade-offs of mass production in aluminum. Cheaper is not always better overall.
That seems to be true in this case. I know the Swift is available in Steel. For most people, I think the Aluminum bike is probably alright, especially for lighter riders. Its interesting that some have made the ultralight SS/FG work nicely as a commuter and I can't argue with the lightweight thinking on that. I think a more utilitarian machine with an internal hub would be a better all around commuter. Of course this is what a folder is about I presume.