Gran Turismo Sport Review: Is GT7’s Predecessor Still Worth Playing?

To get straight to the point: as the direct predecessor to GT7, Gran Turismo Sport still has its own value in 2026—namely PSVR immersion, Thrustmaster optimization, and a place to practice real-world driving techniques such as heel-and-toe. If you are buying a game new and intend to play seriously over the long term, the current GT7 is the clear choice, with full PSVR2 support and official support for direct-drive racing wheels. But if you can access it through the PlayStation Plus lineup or pick up a used PS4 copy, Gran Turismo Sport is still worth playing for anyone who already owns a T-GT II, G29, G923, or similar racing wheel.

In this article, I organize what I have covered across 444 Picar Channel videos on GT Sport, focusing primarily on people who want to practice before moving to GT7, enjoy VR through PSVR, or make the most of a Thrustmaster setup.

My verdict in 30 seconds

My conclusion from references across 444 Picar Channel videos is that Gran Turismo Sport remains a worthwhile previous-generation title for people who already own the original PSVR and a Thrustmaster racing wheel. GT7 has a decisive advantage if you are buying new and planning to play seriously over the long term. But for using hardware you already own—for VR sim racing, real-world driving-technique practice, or a title particularly well optimized for Thrustmaster—GT Sport has not lost its appeal.

What Is Gran Turismo Sport? — GT7’s Predecessor and a Standout PS4-Era Title

GT Sport was released in 2017 and developed by Polyphony Digital as a PlayStation 4-exclusive entry in the series. It was the first title to make a clear push toward esports, and it has remained popular for years as a Gran Turismo game with PSVR support.

If you want to compare the wider range of options, also see my Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) Review | Ver. 1.70, FFB, and VR and iRacing Review | Is This Top-Tier PC Sim the Closest Thing to Real Racing?.

Key information

Thrustmaster Optimization — A Title Where the T-GT II Shows Its Strengths

One standout point with GT Sport is its optimization for Thrustmaster racing wheels. This tendency carries into GT7 as well, but it is especially apparent in GT Sport.

When I tried the T-GT II, the difference was obvious. The force feedback felt natural, I felt a stronger connection with the car, and I could immerse myself deeply in the game world. …It was almost as if it had been made specifically for this game: the road surface and the state of tire grip came through with exceptional clarity.

— From Picar Channel’s “What is the latest and greatest racing wheel? Checking T-GT II vs DD Pro on PlayStation 5”

By contrast, I have noted that the Fanatec DD Pro does not always show its full potential in GT Sport under the same conditions.

Because the DD Pro uses a direct-drive system, it should theoretically be capable of better force feedback than the T-GT II. However, in Gran Turismo Sport, I felt it was not optimized for the game to the same extent as the T-GT II. Road-surface information and the sensation of understeer were harder to read than with the T-GT II, and it took longer to fully understand the car’s behavior. I believe that is because Gran Turismo Sport is optimized for Thrustmaster products.

— From the same video

In other words, if GT Sport is your main game and you already own a T-GT II, there are situations where the reason to move to GT7 becomes less compelling. That is one of the biggest reasons GT Sport remains worth playing today.

Full PSVR Support — Taking on the Nordschleife in VR

GT Sport’s biggest unique feature is its full support for the original PSVR. Even now that GT7 supports PSVR2, GT Sport remains a valuable VR option for anyone who owns the original PSVR.

Introduction: VR invites you into the ultimate driving experience. Racing games have always pursued realism as technology evolves. Now, the arrival of virtual reality has raised that sense of immersion to a new level. This time, I experienced the dream scenario of playing PlayStation 4’s popular real driving simulator, Gran Turismo Sport, in VR. The setting was Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, a circuit racing fans around the world reverently call the “Green Hell.” Taking on this formidable course was a Jaguar XJR-9, one of the defining Group C cars of the 1980s.

— From Picar Channel’s “GT Sport VR: Jaguar XJR-9 Flat Out at the Nürburgring”

Driving the Nordschleife—the circuit known as the “Green Hell”—in VR delivers immersion that is distinctively GT Sport. The experience of driving a classic race car such as the Jaguar XJR-9, an 1980s Group C machine, in VR has carried over into GT7. But GT Sport had a longer history with VR support, and it feels well versed in creating the scene.

In the end, my time was terrible, but I was able to complete a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Jaguar XJR-9. This GT Sport VR experience can be summed up in one phrase: it was incredibly fun. The overwhelming immersion VR provides, the excitement of controlling a legendary machine, and the thrill of tackling one of the world’s toughest circuits came together perfectly. It reminded me once again that VR and racing games are an outstanding match. VR lets you feel like a real racing driver rather than simply someone playing a game, and it will greatly expand the possibilities for motorsport simulation going forward.

— From the same video

My straightforward reaction—“incredibly fun” and “like a real racing driver”—shows the impact GT Sport VR had on sim racing at the time.

A Place to Practice Real-World Techniques — Heel-and-Toe in Action

Another reason GT Sport still has value is that it can serve as a place to practice real-world driving techniques.

Mastering heel-and-toe in GT Sport VR: a complete explanation of why it matters and how to do it. For players seeking a realistic driving experience in racing games, learning a variety of techniques is essential. Among them, heel-and-toe is known as an important technique for stabilizing the car during downshifts and achieving smoother, faster driving. This time, I will use PlayStation’s real driving simulator Gran Turismo Sport (GT Sport) to explain in detail why heel-and-toe is necessary and how to put it into practice.

— From Picar Channel’s “GT Sport VR Heel-and-Toe: A Complete Guide to How and Why”

Practicing simultaneous brake and throttle inputs: before a corner, you need to brake hard, gradually release the brake, and turn in as one continuous motion. Heel-and-toe means downshifting during this braking phase while blipping the throttle at the same time. In other words, while pressing the brake pedal, you operate the accelerator with part of the same foot—usually the heel or side of the right foot. A common mistake for beginners is simply pressing the brake and throttle together. That does not give you brake control.

— From the same video

Heel-and-toe is an essential technique in real-world racing driving. GT Sport recreates real-car behavior, including partial clutch engagement, in a relatively simple manner, making it an excellent place for beginners to practice. You can also practice in GT7, but GT Sport has a stronger character as a training simulator, and I have published many technique videos using GT Sport.

Update 1.34 — New Cars Including the Supra

GT Sport continued to receive car additions through post-launch updates and remained active for a long time. Update 1.34 was a representative turning point.

Gran Turismo Sport (GT Sport) Update 1.34 has finally arrived! This update adds a host of appealing cars, including the highly anticipated new Toyota Supra. For this regular “drive them all” feature, I will test every added car and take a closer look at its appeal and behavior in GT Sport. …Alongside the new Supra, the additions include the Pagani Huayra, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, and other attractive cars.

— From Picar Channel’s “GT Sport New Supra Drift! Driving Every Update 1.34 Car”

The Huayra’s interior in GT Sport is of a quality I have never seen in a game before. It looks genuinely three-dimensional and creates the immersion of actually sitting in the driver’s seat. The graphics had evolved to the point where they felt more “sparkly” than driving the real car. The game’s controllability had also improved dramatically. The weight of the steering and the sensation of controlling the car were much closer to reality than before. I felt GT Sport’s simulation had evolved enough that it could be driven with a feel close to Japanese public roads.

— From the same video

My characteristic expression that it feels more “sparkly” than driving the real car conveys GT Sport’s graphics quality. Experiencing world-class cars such as the new Supra, Pagani Huayra, and SLR McLaren with VR and a racing wheel remains a timeless appeal of GT Sport.

Force Feedback Assessment in a Three-Wheel Comparison

The three-racing-wheel comparison I conducted in GT Sport is important for understanding the game’s compatibility with different wheel setups.

I am bringing you the in-depth comparison review viewers requested most: three popular racing wheels. The models compared are the Logitech G923, Thrustmaster T300RS, and the PS4-compatible Fanatec CSL Elite. I drove these three PS4-compatible racing wheels in the popular racing simulator Gran Turismo Sport and evaluated their force feedback (FFB), pedal feel, and the information transmitted from the road surface.

— From Picar Channel’s “Comparing FFB in GT Sport: Review of Three Racing Wheels”

My conclusion in that video was that, in GT Sport, the Fanatec CSL Elite had “the best pedals considered on their own” but could not fully reveal its potential because of insufficient FFB tuning; the Logitech G923 had “good pedals but flat FFB”; and the Thrustmaster T300RS held a slight lead through the fine detail of its FFB. The tendency toward Thrustmaster optimization is clear here as well.

The Path from PSVR to PSVR2 with GT7

GT Sport’s VR experience is also a natural earlier step toward the modern PSVR2 + GT7 combination.

Here is important information for PS VR owners. To use PS VR on PS5, you need a dedicated camera adapter. It is essential for connecting the PS VR camera to the PS5, and Sony distributes it free of charge to PS VR users. …As for my impressions after playing GT Sport VR on PS5, the first thing that surprised me was how smooth it felt.

— From Picar Channel’s “Playing GT Sport VR on PS5! Predicting What GT7 VR Would Be Like from Press Announcements”

I also tested the transitional setup of “PS5 + PSVR + GT Sport.” The current ultimate setup of “PS5 + PSVR2 + GT7” follows directly from it. Moving from GT Sport to GT7 and PSVR2 is part of the evolution Polyphony Digital has consistently pursued.

Who It Is For—and Who Should Skip It

✅ Recommended for

• People who own the original PSVR and want to experience VR sim racing
• Racing-wheel users who own a Thrustmaster T-GT II, T300RS, or T150 (a well-optimized title)
• People who want to practice real-world driving techniques such as heel-and-toe
• People who want to get used to Gran Turismo-style controls before seriously buying GT7
• People who can access GT Sport through the PlayStation Plus lineup
• People who want an affordable used PS4 copy

❌ Not recommended for

• People buying new with long-term play in mind → GT7 is far more complete, with PSVR2 and official direct-drive support
• Users of Fanatec direct-drive racing wheels such as DD Pro or GT DD Extreme → GT Sport is not optimized for them
• PSVR2 users → GT Sport does not support PSVR2, so you need to move to GT7
• People seeking the latest cars, including models released from 2024 onward → GT Sport updates have effectively wound down

Related Videos

• GT Sport VR: Jaguar XJR-9 Flat Out at the Nürburgring
• GT Sport VR Heel-and-Toe: A Complete Guide to How and Why
• GT Sport New Supra Drift! Driving Every Update 1.34 Car
• What Is the Latest and Greatest Racing Wheel? T-GT II vs DD Pro on PS5 (GT Sport Test)
• Playing GT Sport VR on PS5! Predicting What GT7 VR Would Be Like
• Comparing FFB in GT Sport: Review of Three Racing Wheels

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Should I buy GT Sport or GT7?

A. If you are buying new, GT7 is overwhelmingly the better choice. With full PSVR2 support, official direct-drive racing-wheel support, and ongoing updates, it surpasses GT Sport across the board. The reasons to choose GT Sport are limited to making use of what you already own—for example, an original PSVR, a Thrustmaster T-GT II, or access through PlayStation Plus.

Q2. Can I play GT Sport on PSVR2?

A. No. GT Sport is for the original PSVR and does not support PSVR2. To enjoy VR sim racing on PSVR2, you need to move to GT7.

Q3. Why are Thrustmaster racing wheels especially well suited to it?

A. Because GT Sport has force-feedback tuning optimized for Thrustmaster products. Under the same conditions, I noted that with the Fanatec DD Pro, “road-surface information and the sensation of understeer were harder to read than with the T-GT II.” This improved in GT7, but Thrustmaster retains the advantage in GT Sport.

Q4. Can’t I practice heel-and-toe in GT7?

A. You can practice it in GT7 as well. However, GT Sport has a stronger character as a training simulator, and its partial-clutch behavior is simpler. GT7 has introduced stricter behavior too, where shifts will not engage unless you properly disengage the clutch. For beginners at the practice stage, GT Sport can be the easier entry point.

Q5. Is online mode (Sport Mode) still active?

A. Official support continues, but the focus of online play has moved to GT7’s Sport Mode. It may be difficult to find opponents in GT Sport, so I strongly recommend moving to GT7 if competitive online racing is your priority.