I think you've hit the nail on the head (again) with this article. Car-centric vs. people-centric is the main difference.

I find it sad and predictable that in the US the ideas of "15-minute-cities" and "walkable cities" have become political footballs.

In most of Europe, having a car is a bonus. In the US you need a car to survive. It is pretty much that simple.

In many places in Europe (NL and Austria are two places I know well) there are decades long, consistent efforts to make cities LESS car friendly and more people friendly. I don't know the US in that detail, but I don't know of any major cities that are doing that. Until that happens, the idea of living like a European in the US will remain (as one of your commenters noted and you responded to) limited to small pockets and neighborhoods in a few places.