You could get the best of both worlds with that kind of budget; the Honda HRC216HXA has the "old-school" GXV160 engine, with cast-iron cylinder sleeve, driveshaft (no belts), fully hydrostatic drive, blade-brake clutch (blade stops, engine keeps running) and is 100% commercial grade. The real proof, IMHO, is the cut quality. The twin-blade set-up on the Honda is a superior mulching design. I mow (mulch) both fescue and bermuda here in north Georgia and it works for me.
It's true the Honda GCV190 was designed to be less costly to manufacture than the traditional GXV-series. The GCV engines are well-proven and have been out in the market for 15+ years now. Honda recently captured 3 of the top 5 spots in Consumer Reports ratings for mowers. FWIW.