I too play a lot of racing games, though not as much as I used to. The original Driver (1999) was one of the first videogames I ever played, still one of my favorite racing games with MCLA and NFS: Underground.
I was playing IV with friends the other day, they both prefer Sleeping Dogs's driving over IVs, understandbly when they took over the controls in GTA they both crashed spectacularly, failing to brake before taking a tight turn among other things. I agree with MrLlamaLlama that once you learn to adapt to controls and have some self control over the gas, the driving is much more rewarding. The challenge is what makes it more fun, weaving in and out of traffic with the cops chasing you while maintaining control, when pulled off is very rewarding. Even when you do crash the car it is so well done imo, that it doesn't ever become an annoyance. And you will only fly out of the car if you smash into something, don't smash into it.
I too am wondering what "friendlier" is alluding too, more foregiving, but how?
What open world driving do you prefer over IV's TUN3R?