Abysmal doesn't cut it
The only method to get new car is through Career mode, which is fairly impossible, as the AI does not understand coming second. It will make you lose control of your car bey making it only steer one way,or drive faster than is possible in that vehicle. When you want to restart Career mode because you messed up, you can't.
There is no tutorial mode, no practice, no way to learn how to play the game apart from playing it, when you will lose. The gameplay itself is hurt by poor control, it is either unresponsive or overly responsive, and you never know which it will be until the upcoming corner.
Scores:
Music: 1 (repetitive and becomes annoying very quickly)
Gameplay: 1 (poor contol and impossibility of victory)
Graphics: 3 (while the cars look fine, then environment does not react when hit by a 2-ton land rover)
In Conclusion, if you are looking for a game with good control, good graphics, a great soundtrack and general long-term playability, buy Madden 09. If your feeling like you need a really bad game to remind you how good the rest of your collection is, buy this, but with the cost included, there must be something cheaper that can do it.