I didn't mind Cliffjumper's death, but then he has never been one of my favorite Autobots, LOL. It is unfortunate for him that he first died in TF Prime and now here. Press F to pay respects. I didn't feel disturbed by it in a visceral way, I think seeing hundreds of Vehicons die in TF Prime has numbed me.
I read an interview with Travis Knight and he said he wanted to establish the ruthlessness of the Decepticons and chose Cliffjumper to die because he's the same size as Bumblebee. It was a really interesting interview, he obviously knows and loves the franchise. <3