A new GTA VI gameplay leak has sparked discussion among fans about whether Rockstar Games is bringing the series’ driving dynamics closer to those of GTA IV. A brief clip showing a Ford Ranchero-lookalike has drawn particular attention from players who value the franchise’s driving mechanics.

GTA VI Leak Fuels Driving Physics Debate

An anonymous leaker has spent the past week posting snippets of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay. The footage has shown a range of scenarios, including flying planes, shooting hoops and getting tased, but a short sequence featuring the player driving around an intersection has generated significant interest among GTA fans.

The vehicle in the clip resembles a Ford Ranchero, and some fans hope its behavior points to a return to the heavier, more challenging driving dynamics associated with GTA IV.

Among serious GTA fans, there is a popular argument that GTA V made driving too easy by giving vehicles more grip while reducing the emphasis on weight transfer and suspension travel. In GTA V, a rear-wheel-drive muscle car can quickly find traction after accelerating from a stop, while abrupt steering inputs produce less pronounced fishtailing than in GTA IV. Suspension movement is also noticeably more muted.

How GTA IV and GTA V Feel Different

The difference was not particularly obvious to the writer until revisiting GTA IV. Before examining the issue, the game had not been played in roughly 14 years, while GTA V had been played as recently as 2024.

Even in GTA V, however, careless inputs can still cause a vehicle to spin or lose control. A hit to a fender can also send a car spiraling. GTA’s physics have consistently been tuned for comedy, emphasizing spins, crashes and general chaos as a defining part of the series.

To revisit GTA IV’s handling, an Xbox 360 copy was purchased from a local retro game shop. The game remains compatible with the latest Xbox consoles.

The result was a clear difference, although not necessarily a dramatic one. Cars in GTA IV generally feel more lumbering and slippery, with rolling and heaving that resembles the behavior of American barges from four or five decades ago. Handbrake turns are also notably more difficult to execute properly.

By comparison, most vehicles in GTA V feel slightly more immediate and do not buckle as dramatically when changing direction.

Visual Physics Can Change How Driving Feels

That difference raises a broader question about how players interpret vehicle physics in video games. Digital cars are often judged by their on-screen behavior as though what players see must directly reflect the underlying physics calculations.

Games, however, are not bound by the laws governing real-world vehicles. Rockstar can increase a car’s suspension travel while giving it roughly the same amount of grip, creating more visual drama without necessarily changing the mathematical calculations that determine traction, slip angle and related behavior.

That may help explain the perceived difference between GTA IV and GTA V. The cars in GTA IV may not actually be substantially harder to drive, but their movement makes them appear that way, making it difficult to separate the visual impression from the physical behavior.

GTA IV’s Vehicles Add Another Layer

There is another factor to consider: GTA IV’s vehicle lineup is heavily populated by malaise-era vehicles. Their less predictable handling fits the nature of those cars, while GTA V features a more modern roster.

As Andy Kelly wrote several years ago for The Gamer, “Liberty City is an unpleasant place, smeared in a tangible layer of grime and danger,” and the city’s traffic reflects that environment.

What the GTA VI Leak May Reveal

The leaked GTA VI footage brings the discussion back to the Vapid Ganado driven by Jason. The vehicle is steeped in malaise-era styling, particularly in the rusted-out condition shown in the clip.

The footage shows the vehicle’s body rolling from aft to fore as the player brakes, smoke coming from the tires after a quarter-donut and the pickup pirouetting into the side of an ambulance while attempting to escape the scene.

Those details could suggest that Rockstar is modeling GTA VI’s driving physics more closely after GTA IV’s approach from 18 years ago. That remains entirely possible based on what can be seen in the short clip.

Camera Behavior Could Change the Perception

At the same time, watching a short gameplay clip can reveal only so much about how a vehicle actually handles. Camera behavior plays a major role in how players perceive physics in driving games.

The example of Screamer illustrates the point. Its chase-camera view makes the game difficult to tolerate, while its unusual twin-stick driving system feels much more comfortable when viewed from the hood or bumper.

The leaked GTA VI clip also does not show how the faux-Ranchero behaves at real pace, leaving an important part of its driving characteristics unseen.

More GTA VI Driving Footage Could Be Coming

With leaks continuing to emerge, another look at GTA VI’s driving could arrive soon. High-speed gameplay could also appear in Rockstar’s “extended look” trailer next week.