From Wikipedia:
“The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank that had a profound and lasting effect on the field of tank design. Although its armour and armament were surpassed later in the war, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential tank design of the Second World War. At its introduction, the T-34 possessed an unprecedented combination of firepower, mobility, protection and ruggedness. Its 76.2 mm (3 in) high-velocity tank gun provided a substantial increase in firepower over any of its contemporaries; its heavy sloped armour was difficult to penetrate by most contemporary anti-tank weapons. First encountered in 1941, German tank general von Kleist at the time called it “the finest tank in the world” and Heinz Guderian confirmed the T-34’s “vast superiority” over existing German armour of the period.”
Yeah, but aside from that.
How about, “Best tank of 1941”? I would agree with that, but after the Germans armed the Mk IV with a high-velocity long-barreled 75mm gun in mid-1942, the Russians lost their firepower advantage. The T-34’s main advantage was that the Russians built 60-80,000 of them, while German production of all types was less than 30,000. As Stalin said, Quantity has a quality all its’ own.