As American, can confidently say that yes, people drink soda as water. You can usually find people who drink directly out of the 2 liters but be mouth agape when you tell them you drink water from the tap
You know tap water ain't healthy, right?
People are so accustomed to sugar overload they literally can't taste anymore. I drink la croix if I want something a bit bubbly, but so many Americans make fun of la croix drinkers. "It's like smelling a lemon from 10 feet away haw haw haw".
No, drinks like that actually have a lot of flavor, but your taste buds are so constantly overwhelmed with sugar that your literal ability to taste has degradated