It's exactly what I expected. No better, no worse. A nice change I didn't know about was specialist Gang units, should you get enough Stars:
The Japanese Tron-like Gang's specialist unit are girls in a skirts on rollerblades that wield fucking thunder hammers that fucks up vehicles. They also warp around like the Reaper Conduits from Infamous, and they way they're brought in is they're hanging onto the bumper of the gang cars.
The other types of specialist units I've run into are giant hulk-like guys that ride in the back of pickups and either use flamethrowers or mini-guns, and if you try to run them over with anything but a heavy geared-out trucked they will stop your car dead with a grab and everyone will fly through the windshield. (This didn't happen to me. A gang car was coming up behind him and he turned around, grabbed it, and all three passengers flew out the windshield to their deaths.)
I've done only the required missions and I'm doing all of the activities first until I'm filthy rich and have enough respect to coast on a few missions. I keep spending my money on cars and looks though. I really need to upgrade my guns. Hm.
In other news,
I drive a kitted-out swat Van with every upgrade and a slick visual appearance. I ram through most vehicles and even the aforementioned big hulking assholes. Black on Black with the dark tint is over done as fuck, but I feel for a big van it works. Other cars will be better, I assure you.
...Man those graphics look like ass when standing still.
