I profoundly disagree. That might be a rationalization for using the automobile, but hardly a reason. It is quite obvious that most US-ers will not abandon the use of their cars even if they have more efficient and less costly means of transportation available. This clearly suggests that other than need for efficient transportation reasons are at play.
Some of these other reasons are:
#1. Instant gratification. The use of transit requires some planning and scheduling. I can save a lot of money to go around by transit, but to make that time efficient I need to plan my day, so I do not have to take unnecessary trips. Using a car eliminates that need - I can drive whenever and wherever I want with little or no planning ahead.
#2. Sense of privacy. Cars are essentially private spaces, or more precisely, privatized public spaces. Drivers do not have to dress up when they go out, they can wear the same shabby clothing as they do in their homes (which explains why US-ers are perhaps the worst dressed people in the developed world), they can pick their noses, fart, listen to Rush Limbaugh, even have sex (or rather inferior substitute of it, for to have quality sex one typically needs more space and different ambiance).
#3. Sense of control. People tend to feel that if they are in the "driver's seat" they are in control of the situation and their lives in general. That explains why until recently driving was mainly the male domain, and if a couple takes the car, it is usually the male who drives. Disclaimer: when my wife and I use a car, she usually drives (the car is registered to me, I had it before we got married, but she uses it all the time, while I take the bus).
#4. Sense of security. Driving severely limits interaction with other people, and since many (if not most) US-ers have very limited social skills and are uncomfortable interacting with people they do not know well, the physical isolation from other people gives them a sense of personal security.
#5 Infantile infatuation with gizmos. People, especially males, tend to be fascinated by mechanical toys and contraptions - sometimes it is a result of intellectual curiosity, sometimes it is a need for excitement resulting from infantilism and underdeveloped mature reasoning. Whatever the psychological cause of that need, cars satisfy it in a socially acceptable way (a biologically but not necessarily mentally or emotionally adult male playing with toy trains or computer games may be looked down by others).
I agree that cars have been aggressively pushed by the Gang of Three and their lackeys in the government - but the US-ers swallowed that shit raw quite eagerly, without much arms twisting, and for the reasons other than their transportation needs.
Wojtek