Going outside my comfort zone

I've still not decided on a new bike. There seems to have been a delay with getting Specialized Vitas into the country, my LBS is now expecting to get one in close to the end of November. So I was looking at other lines that they carry, and am more than a little smitten with the Giant Dash 4.

I'm thinking about stepping outside my comfort zone a little. This looks way faster and lighter than my other bikes (Specialized Hardrock mountain bike and Marin Stinson comfort bike). I use the Hardrock offroad and it's my main bike for towing dd in her trailer. The Marin is principally an errand bike, used whenever I need to carry anything as it has a rack and basket.

So I think I'm confused on whether I should be getting something that does what the Marin does only better (the Vita Elite would readily take fenders and a rack, would tow, would be fine on the off-road-lite shortcuts that I use and would still be fun for road rides). Then I could sell the Marin. Or I could get the Giant, which I think would take a rack and road-fenders - and would be a completely different kind of riding. I think it's a case of the Specialized seems like a sensible choice, but I love the look of the Giant and the idea of being able to put in some miles on local lanes. I don't know how it would be on short stretches of dirt road/gravel though. Any thoughts/advice/experience?

I have no experience with either of those bikes, but I believe that test riding may give you more insight to feel and handling. That may help clarify.

Thank you! There isn't much of a culture of test-riding here - I don't know if it's a UK thing or just this neck of the woods. I may get to test ride the Vita if it's a dry day when I go back, and the woman who co-owns the LBS is going to bring in her own Giant, to check for fit as they don't have any road/fitness Giant models in at present. It is frustrating, but I do trust the LBS shop to make sure that I am ultimately delighted with anything I get from there.

Hebe, a good friend of mine bought a Vita Elite as her first "sort of road bike." It served her well and it really brought up her confidence in riding. This was someone who said she "never" would 1) go clipless, 2) buy a road bike with dropped bars.
She now has a Specialized Ruby Elite Compact, with a mountain gearing on the back. She keeps the Vita for when she is going back and forth between her house here, and her house by the ocean, where she spends the summer and some weekends. I emphasize that before she bought the Vita, she had a heavy hybrid and was very leery and kind of negative about riding. The first ride I did with her, we went 20 miles and she almost fainted... I had to give her a Nuun tablet for her water and several Shot Blocks. Two and a half years later, she regularly rides 30-35 miles. She is my only "regular" friend (i.e., I didn't meet her cycling) who is as fanatic as I am about riding, and it all started with the Vita.

Thanks Crankin, that's really encouraging to read. In fact I think it's quite rare to read any poor experience of the Vita. It does look like a great bike for doing everything.