My family uses an iPad 2 with 3G (when iPad 3 was launched). Its simple , the 3G model for iPad 2 is cheaper and it does all the basic things. Web surfing - check , always-on-the-go access with 3G - done , big screen (easier for my parents etc) - check. I don't see any issue here

It goes the same for iPad 1 , a lot of people are still using it and it serves them well as well