I don't think so. My car, while older, runs just fine. It gets me from point A to point B just as well as a new car would. But the power of suggestion present in advertising has made us all think that our personal worth is somehow connected to the car we drive. Hot chicks respond favorably to guys in a nice car.
Guys are envious of a guy in a bigger pick up truck.
More trunk space means that your family will have a better vacation. Anti-lock brakes somehow make everyone a better driver. As I drive in my car, I get annoyed at the commercials on the radio. I rarely watch television in general, but when I do I find myself at odds with the advertising that occurs.