The US still has cheap gas, compared to the rest of the world.
In Europe and here in the Philippines, gas has always been in the $4 range. The advantage, however, is that I have never needed or wanted a car while outside of the US. Back in the states, a car was mandatory in order to go ANYWHERE.
US gas is even cheaper in terms of base price without any taxes.
Ireland is shorter on so-called “mass transit” than some other countries in Europe, so one would want a car for travel. And of course, there is no shortage of cars in countries such as France and Germany, themselves big car-making countries (France with Renault, Peugeot, Citroën; and we all know the German makes).