Car Rental in New Zealand
Cheapest Car Rental Rates
Most Popular Car Rental Deals
Travel Information
Why rent a car in New Zealand?
New Zealand is a great place to explore by car. Not only both North Island and South Island are full of cozy cities and stunning natural landmarks, but the highways themselves are an adventure as they offer some of the most picturesque driving routes in the whole world.
If you want to know more about renting a car in New Zealand, don't miss our complete guide.

Top ways to enter New Zealand
- Auckland Airport: The busiest in New Zealand, it serves its largest city.
- Christchurch Airport: The main airport of South Island.
- Queenstown Airport: This cozy airport mainly serves domestic connections, but also hosts flights to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia.
- Wellington Airport: Serving the nation’s capital, Wellington Airport is the third busiest in New Zealand.
Top cities and places to visit
- Queenstown: Sometimes called the Adrenaline Capital of the World, Queenstown offers everything from skydiving to snowboarding, skiing, and jet-boating, as well as truly stunning landscapes.
- Auckland: Large and modern, Auckland has a thriving arts and culture scene, and offers easy access to some of New Zealand’s great nature areas.
- Christchurch: Although the city is still recovering from some recent earthquakes, its friendly atmosphere and many museums and galleries make it one of the coziest destinations in New Zealand.
- Aoraki Mount Cook National Park and Westland National Park: These two stunning nature areas are for those who are eager to see New Zealand’s dramatic mountain scenery up close.
- Coromandel Peninsula: This coastal area is less than two hour drive away from Auckland, and makes a great place to relax and be in the nature.
Most popular rental car
The most popular rental car in New Zealand is the Nissan Tiida 2009, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and the Fiat Punto.
Most popular types of rental car
Many visitors of New Zealand choose compact and economy rental cars, but fullsize is also very popular, especially among travelers who like to go higher in the mountains and away from the main road network.
Top driving routes
- Auckland - Christchurch (1,553 km / 716 mi) The New Zealand Odyssey, beloved by countless travelers, will nearly take you from end of the land to the other and will let you see New Zealand in all its majestic beauty. If you have time, it’s best to break up this route into at least a week. Of course, this route requires a ferry between Wellington and Picton, where another rental car can be booked if your rental provider does not allow the car to be taken onboard a ferry.
- Christchurch - Queenstown (483 km / 300 mi) This picturesque route can be done in six hours, but why be in a rush when you’ll be passing the southern shores of Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki on the way? A circle through Greymouth might also be worthwile.
- Auckland - Wellington (644 km / 400 mi) The route between the New Zealand’s largest city and the capital will take you across nearly all of the North Island. It is worth stopping to explore the Pureora Forest Park, the Tongariro National Park, and the Akatarawa Forest on the way.
Car Rental Prices
- Station wagons - from $32 per day
- Large cars - from $56 per day
- Medium cars - from $50 per day
- People Carriers/Vans - from $79 per day
- Small cars - from $23 per day
- SUVs - from $72 per day
How can I save money on my rental car?
You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in New Zealand:
- Compare rates of different rental car providers
- Book your rental car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting New Zealand is the cheapest in July when renting a car is about 31% cheaper than the yearly average and about 44% cheaper than visiting in February when it’s the height of summer in the southern hemisphere.
Top 14 Most Popular Cities in New Zealand
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Car Rental in Auckland from $11.50 per day
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Car Rental in Christchurch from $12.23 per day
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Car Rental in Queenstown from $18.26 per day
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Car Rental in Wellington from $17.03 per day
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Car Rental in Dunedin from $23.32 per day
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Car Rental in Nelson from $53.52 per day
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Car Rental in Palmerston North from $32.56 per day
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Car Rental in Tauranga from $60.26 per day
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Car Rental in Napier from $20.05 per day
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Car Rental in Invercargill from $64.37 per day
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Car Rental in Rotorua from $28.09 per day
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Car Rental in Whangarei from $40.94 per day
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Car Rental in Blenheim from $53.52 per day
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Car Rental in New Plymouth from $32.56 per day
Top 17 Most Popular Locations in New Zealand
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Car Rental at Auckland Airport from $11.50 per day
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Car Rental at Queenstown Airport from $18.26 per day
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Car Rental at Christchurch Airport from $12.23 per day
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Car Rental at Wellington Airport from $17.03 per day
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Car Rental at Wellington Inter Island Ferry Terminal from $36.23 per day
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Car Rental Auckland Ponsonby from $15.44 per day
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Car Rental at Dunedin Airport from $23.32 per day
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Car Rental at Nelson Airport from $53.52 per day
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Car Rental at Palmerston North Airport from $32.56 per day
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Car Rental at Tauranga Airport from $60.26 per day
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Car Rental at Napier Airport from $20.05 per day
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Car Rental at Invercargill Airport from $64.37 per day
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Car Rental at Rotorua Airport from $28.09 per day
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Car Rental at Whangarei Airport from $40.94 per day
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Car Rental at Blenheim Airport from $53.52 per day
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Car Rental at New Plymouth Airport from $32.56 per day
Map of Car Rental Locations
Which is the cheapest month to rent a car in New Zealand?
What’s the average rental length in New Zealand?
What’s the most popular time for renting a car in New Zealand?
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
Rental Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
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Snap Rentals | Toyota Vitz | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
Hitch Car Rentals | Mazda Demio | 4 | 1 | Small cars |
Snap Rentals | Toyota Aqua | 5 | 1 | Medium cars |
Discount Car Rentals New Zealand | Toyota Corolla | 4 | 2 | Large cars |
Snap Rentals | Toyota Corolla | 5 | 1 | Medium cars |
Discount Car Rentals New Zealand | Toyota RAV4 | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
yesaway | Toyota RAV4 | 5 | 3 | SUVs |
Discount Car Rentals New Zealand | Toyota Yaris | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
yesaway | Toyota Vitz | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
yesaway | Suzuki Swift | 5 | 1 | Small cars |
Top 20 Suppliers in New Zealand in 2021



















