Former owner of a Giant Defy here. It was a great bike while I had it, and the bike that replaced it is solid, but I have a hankering to replace it with another Defy, most probably a second-hand one with an Aluxx frame.
It’s been a while since I paid attention to what Giant are making, but I read about the Giant Revolt, which (apparently) has a geometry very like that of the Defy. It’s possibly more versatile than the Defy in terms of surfaces it can ride on, but some reviewers say it’s a little more limited in speed. But, again, that might not be a problem, since I’m more about distance than speed.
I’m not a hardcore cyclist, although I do like to get out for a few hours in the day, mostly on the riverside. But when I’ve ventured further, I’ve sometimes hit roads or paths that aren’t paved and it occurred to me that might make the Revolt a better choice.
Does anyone with familiarity with both bikes have an opinion on which is the better overall choice for riding in Taiwan?
I don’t have riding experience with any of them, but I’d go for the Revolt over the Defy. Although my reasons for it may or may not make it the better bike for you.
Riding position is a bit more relaxed on the Revolt, which I think it’s a good thing if you are getting older. Anyway, it’s not my main point. In terms of handling, the Revolt should be more stable at higher speeds, but less agile while cornering.
Unless you really plan to oftenly ride those rare gravel/dirt high mountain roads, I think the tire clearance is enough for Taiwan in both bikes. Defy tops at 35 mm and Revolt goes up to 53. Most roads in Taiwan are paved, and 35 should be enough for concrete and broken surfaces. Although it is nice to have to option to go for wider tires in case you plan to ride something more rough, as I said before. Also, more space for mudguards is you choose to use them.
Related to the above points, if you need a smaller size frame, the Revolt should have less toe overlap (if any).
If you are going to buy a complete bike off the shelf, the Revolt has slightly better gearing for Taiwan mountains.
My main buying point for the Revolt is the numerous mounts. Defy only has the usual two bottle mounts within the frame main triangle, while Revolt adds four more (one in the top tube, another in the down tube near the BB, and two more in the fork). With all these mounts, I could ride with two water bottles plus one tool bottle for the regular rides. Then I could securely fix a top tube bag for the all day long rides and even have the option to add more storage in the fork in case I do some bikepacking.
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I recently bought the Revolt and so far I’ve loved it. For me it feels nice to ride and can handle most stuff. I’m in Penghu so we don’t have the massive mountains like the mainland so I can’t comment on climbing. I’ve taken in on some really poor roads and some small gravelly sections and not had any issues. I also personally like the tubeless tyres as it makes me less stressed about wasting a ride having to fix a puncture.
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FWIW I live in Hshinchu Hsien. In my opinion the most important new bike criteria is gear inch close to 20" so I can ride up hills. (And I still have to walk up a steep part on every ride. 
Bike industry gearing is too high. That’s why I ride a triple crank and haven’t bought a new bike. IMO the closer to 20" the better. See cyclingabout.com. Recently swapped my rear cassette to have a 32 cog. 28x32 gives me 22 gear inches. Explanation: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html
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I’m not understanding the links as it gives no explanation about what a gear inch is. I’m reminded of drawings of old bikes where the front wheel is much larger than the rear wheel.
Thanks for that detailed reply. The more relaxed geometry is a plus, since I am indeed getting older. I also like the Revolt’s more general design and the possibility, whether I ever get to do it or not, of bikepacking. I think I also like the idea of riding places where I might fear to go on a standard road bike like the one I currently have. Exploring is a big part of the appeal of cycling for me. That said, I’m still awfully fond of the Defy.