2025 GT Test Drive - 2024 select owner

[Makomachine]

I’ve got a ‘25 GT in Eruption Green on order and found a ‘25 GT in stock today and took it for a test drive. I’ve only road in our ‘24 Select so was interested in differences in ride quality, the seats, and handling differences.

Ride quality - I’m now sold on magna ride. Intentionally took it down a rough road and the wife and I both instantly noticed a major difference. I’d say almost difference enough alone to justify the GT upgrade from premium.

Handling - I’ve been impressed with the handling of our select but the GT just feels like it’s on rails. Just tight and planted and really impressed.

Seats were everything I expected. Better bolstering and comfortable. Would I like them ventilated? Yes. Not sure how they compare to the Premiums but definitely an upgrade from the select.

Big fan of the extra performance and the column shift - not surprised there.

Was surprised at the audio and really the only thing I’d say is still a miss. Ford needs to seriously work on their audio game.

Not enough time to see what the heat pump offered other than it was warm today and forgot to even think about it as the car managed the temp well.

Can’t wait to get my order filled and joining the GT club!

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[GreaseMonkey]

If one could afford it, GT is the only trim worth getting. Everything else is a major compromise. I say that as someone who drove a premium for 2.5 years and liked it. But the GT is a game changer.

 

[tuminatr]

my 10 cents,

The GT / GTPE seats vs the premium. After driving a premium for a few years, I much prefer the GT seats soooooo much more comfortable.

Radio / Sound system.

IMHO, the imaging, mids, and highs are awesome. The bass is not the best in class, but not horrible either

 

[Ahlarict]

Adding a modest sub woofer does a lot to improve the system:

Really appreciate the inspiration and knowledge shared here! Thank you all, and especially the OP @markboris. I went with the Rockford-Fosgate “Punch” 8” vented and powered 300w RMS sub-woofer. It seems to be a reasonable match for the B&O components, the available space under the load floor (even in the low position), the undiscriminating nature of my uneducated aging ears, and the amount of money and time I was interested in spending on the project to add “just a little bit more bass” to a system I was otherwise mostly happy with.

Since it’s only a 20amp unit and the rear 12v is already on a switched and fused 20amp circuit, I just used posi-taps in that corner to tap the power and high-level inputs, while leaving the B&O 6x9 connected to continue contributing some mid and grounding to an existing body ground bolt behind the same panel. Easy-peasy! Plenty of thump to allow me to feel the music in my heart without creating "medically significant" decibel pressures or requiring extensive disassembly of the vehicle!

For not investing in additional sound deadening or "prep of the sound stage" (beyond the removal of the stock Styrofoam and application of velcro to the bottom of the enclosure), I was pleasantly surprised with the lack of rattle and distortion back there even at what I consider to be higher output levels. With 860w total now (560w B&O+300w RF sub), I think this 11-speaker "B&ORF bastard audio system" has ended up sounding pretty darn adequate!

I secured the remote knob to the console using a bit of Gorilla Putty (it seems to do a good job of staying stuck until you want to be unstuck, then it's entirely removable without trace).

 

[Makomachine]

Adding a modest sub woofer does a lot to improve the system:

Been a long while since I did anything with car audio. Have a recommendation?

 

[McSquashy]

@Makomachine, thanks for your comparison thoughts and congrats on your GT order!

I've been contemplating going to a 2025 GT from my 2023 Premium and I'm waiting for an opportunity to test drive one. I keep checking with local dealers, but none seem to have inventory yet.

I've come very close to negotiating a deal on a 2025 GT with an out-of-state dealer and want to confirm whether or not the upgrade is worth it to me before I road trip out there and sign.

From the sound of it, the GT is a fairly significant improvement in what I feel are the weak points of my Premium. Namely, the seats and suspension. I'm not as concerned about having the additional power or heat pump, but those are welcome upgrades nonetheless.

 

[Makomachine]

From the sound of it, the GT is a fairly significant improvement in what I feel are the weak points of my Premium. Namely, the seats and suspension. I'm not as concerned about having the additional power or heat pump, but those are welcome upgrades nonetheless.

I can confidently say you won’t be disappointed if those are your motivations. I went in with high expectations and left impressed. I’ve been on the fence waiting for a build given the timing and my needs to get out of a high mileage Model 3. I’ve explored a lot of options - Cadillac Optiq/Lyriq, Chevy Blazer RS/SS, Hyuandai Ioniq 5/6, VW ID4, and used BMW i4/ix. One drive in the GT gave me some patience and ended a session of dealer visits. The MME isn’t perfect, but it is the one that makes me turn my head at the end of the day. The GT had me smiling before I’d made the right turn out of the dealer lot.

 

[HuntingPudel]

@Makomachine, thanks for your comparison thoughts and congrats on your GT order!

I've been contemplating going to a 2025 GT from my 2023 Premium and I'm waiting for an opportunity to test drive one. I keep checking with local dealers, but none seem to have inventory yet.

I've come very close to negotiating a deal on a 2025 GT with an out-of-state dealer and want to confirm whether or not the upgrade is worth it to me before I road trip out there and sign.

From the sound of it, the GT is a fairly significant improvement in what I feel are the weak points of my Premium. Namely, the seats and suspension. I'm not as concerned about having the additional power or heat pump, but those are welcome upgrades nonetheless.

The Ford Performance seats in the GT and Rally are very nice. The seats in the Premium and select you sit on. The Ford Performance seats you sit in. They have good support for your legs and very good lower rib cage support. I'd like to see better side support for the thighs, but that would lead to normal people complaining that the seats are hard to get into or out of. ??

Depending on what your issue is with the suspension, the GT may or may not be the solution for you. The GT is more stiffly sprung, which makes initial impact a little more prevalent on road imperfections. Magneride does a decent job at softening this a bit but it's still there, even in Whisper. Magneride also does a great job at reducing the rear suspension oscillation that many have complained about in the Select and Premium. If initial impact harshness is your complaint, I'd go with a Rally trim because they have softer springs with more travel than the GT. You give up some handling due to the Rally's difference in tires and ride height, but it's still superior to the Premium's. ??

EDIT: Or you could do like several other forum members have done and replace your springs with Rally springs. I rode in a 2022 GT (non-Magneride car) that had the springs replaced. It was very smooth. ??

 

[Makomachine]

EDIT: Or you could do like several other forum members have done and replace your springs with Rally springs. I rode in a 2022 GT (non-Magneride car) that had the springs replaced. It was very smooth. ??

Honestly, I don’t care for the Rally styling but thought that might be an option based on some other posts if I wanted down the road. The broken asphalt road I drive down with the GT proved a major improvement over our Select. I’m not ride sensitive, so likely fine. Having an early Model Y and ‘21 Model 3 will make a buckboard with a seat cushion seem Cadillac smooth. ?

 

[Ahlarict]

Been a long while since I did anything with car audio. Have a recommendation?

This thread is worth a read, as it demonstrates a full range of options from the high-end audiophile approach of @markboris to my more budget-conscious and field-expedient approach to component selection and installation. I'm not a highly discriminating audiophile, but the lack of low-end frequency response in the stock B&O system made Leonard Cohen sound like George Michael to my ears! The addition of a decent powered sub-woofer fixes that nicely.

 

[McSquashy]

The Ford Performance seats in the GT and Rally are very nice. The seats in the Premium and select you sit on. The Ford Performance seats you sit in.

That's exactly how I feel about the seats in my Premium; I sit on top of them and not in them. The lack of lateral support is not very confidence inspiring in the twisties. I've actually been keeping an eye on eBay for a clean GT(PE) driver's seat.

If initial impact harshness is your complaint, I'd go with a Rally trim because they have softer springs with more travel than the GT. You give up some handling due to the Rally's difference in tires and ride height, but it's still superior to the Premium's. ??

Initial impact harshness is definitely one of my bigger complaints about the suspension. I do strongly feel like the Rally would be my preferred suspension setup. Unfortunately, I've grown very fond of the pano glass roof so a Rally isn't an option. That said, I'd be open to installing the Rally springs on a GT.

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