You should try out NFS Rivals before completely writing them [NFS series] off. In my opinion, the arcade racing controls haven't been better in NFS until the Burnout/Ghost team started working on them.
Rivals was VERY good and the best NFS since Most Wanted 2005 idgaf. the biggest drawback to me was forced waiting while being explained everything. For reference my favorite modern arcade racers is the Motorstorm trilogy. I grew up playing Cruis'n, RUSH, and Daytona USA in the arcades. Retro ones, I would go for NFS High Stakes and NFS 3 Hot Pursuit.
The PS2 era saw tons of interesting titles like Freekstyle, great rally games like WRC Rally Evolved, Burnout series, SSX 3 and Tricky, there was really something for everyone no matter what sort of driving/riding they enjoyed.
PS3/360/wii was pretty good and obviously the generation of my favorite series, Motorstorm.
Arcade racers don't sell now. Dirt 5 is a piece of shit ruined by the developer, no vision. Driveclub was godlike at the time but going back to it, I don't encounter the same fun factor as I used to have. Nothing like Motorstorm, hop in anytime and it's fun as hell. Futuristic racers have been pretty great though with Redout, WIpeout remaster and Fast RMX. Forza Horizon 3 and 4 were awesome but once again, if I go back to FH4 it feels really dull and aimless. I don't know what can bring me back to open world racing, they're all copy/paste now. NFS Heat was a poor mans forza horizon.
I think if any game can revive the genre it's Burnout.
Until then I'll keep playing Motorstorm games on PS3 and eagerly anticipate them being emulated one day properly.