It varies wildly, but I think that credit is perceived and granted differently in Germany, compared to Canada. Where I live, we also need to drive less than in North America, so many of my friends don't have a driving license.

I'm tempted to say that cars matter less here - they're usually parked out of sight - but I bike to a different neighborhood and there are young guys in pristine luxury cars cruising around. If you visit a different part of the countries the composition of cars changes too.

It definitely varies according to nationality, too. Perhaps it's a function of culture, insurance prices and petrol prices.