I think for anyone buying a hybrid this is the key distinction they have to make, that between road and trail. It's not like buying a dedicated road bike, which are basically designed for one purpose and the major buying points come down to differing groupsets etc. Different hybrids cut across the whole spectrum between Road and Trail and if a potential buyer gets scope-locked on one type just because it has better gears and brakes than another, for example, they might find themselves being short changed on the bikes ability to efficiently navigate the terrain they ride on. And will ride on for thousands of kilometers.

Of course once we buy a bike our ego will bolster our choice and we won't think we have missed out on something better. I have experienced bad choices many times in my life and it was only after I moved onto the better choice that I looked back with hindsight to see what I had missed out on. That's why it's important to really investigate the bikes before we buy. It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of how comfortable your riding will be for years to come.