The game is centered on an open-ended design. The single player menu presents players with three variables: mode (Time Trial, Single Race, and Drift Trial), car, and track selection. Rewards such as credits and cars earned based on the difficulty, performance and number of laps they have chosen. Players can select from one to 99 laps. Gran Turismo is centered on completing driving missions in order to advance in the game, unlike Gran Turismo 4's open-ended map. The game uses a new trading system to allow players to acquire cars.[3]

There are 45 tracks (including layout variations) plus the added bonus of reverse on most tracks, which takes the track number to 72. For the first time in the series, the game features the use of custom soundtracks that enables players to play their own songs while racing, but this option must first be unlocked by completing section B or C of the Driving Challenges. The music tracks can be used for offline or online races