NZ'S BEST VALUE CAR RENTAL

Can I rent a car one way in New Zealand? 

One way car rental is available from any of our four rental locations in New Zealand. Travel from North Island to South Island and vice versa with no worries at all – our locations in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown have you covered! The most popular one-way car rental trips our customers take are from Auckland to Queenstown, from Queenstown to Auckland and from Christchurch to Queenstown.

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Just set your pickup location to Auckland Airport and your drop off location to your desired trip end point when you book online to ensure the correct one-way rates and fees (if applicable) are calculated. Sometimes you can even pick up a car for a steal if we need some cars moved!

Are car rentals cheaper at the airport in New Zealand?

The car rental companies that are based within the airport terminal typically are more expensive than their counterparts based outside of the terminal area. The main reason for this is due to the very high rental costs of terminal based rental car locations + the additional cost involved with security requirements.

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Car rental companies near the airport (like Snap) often have more affordable rental cars and offer shuttle services to take you between the airport and their depots (in Snap’s case we offer this service free of charge).

What car rental insurance do I need in New Zealand?

Most car rental companies in New Zealand offer a basic level of insurance cover with every rental car, while also offering extra insurance excess reduction options for an additional daily fee. The insurance options offered by rental car companies in New Zealand all more-or-less follow the below format:

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No excess reduction

This option is always the most affordable option offered, however it also carries the most risk in that if you do have an accident, you will be liable to pay an increased excess amount.

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Some excess reduction

This option is typically priced in between the no excess reduction, and full excess reduction options. It should be considered as a balance between more affordable overall daily rates and reducing your overall risk.

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Full excess reduction

This option is typically the highest priced option, reduces your excess to zero and with some car rental companies (such as Snap), comes with additional bonuses too! This option gives full peace of mind for your trip.

Ultimately the type of insurance you should choose really depends on your approach to risk, and your ability to afford to pay the excess in case anything goes wrong. At Snap we always recommend our customers take the highest car rental insurance cover possible to give you peace of mind on your trip. This is particularly important given when you are renting a car you are typically driving a vehicle you are unfamiliar with on roads you are also unfamiliar with, surrounded by people in the exact same position as you!

Can I rent a car in New Zealand on a restricted licence?

Absolutely – Snap rents cars to restricted and full licence holders. The main difference in renting a car from Snap as a restricted licence holder is that we require you to take a specific insurance for restricted license holders – otherwise it’s all the same as for full license holders.

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We can't speak for every car rental company in NZ here, if you are looking to hire a car on a restricted licence from another car rental company, be sure to check their terms and conditions before hiring so you have all the the details.

What is the best rental car in New Zealand?

Our recommendation for the best rental car in New Zealand really depends on what you are looking for and where you are going.

If you are just here to visit some mates and do a couple of quick day trips, your best bet is an affordable rental car like our Toyota Aqua Hybrid which has low rates and brilliant fuel efficiency. You’ll have room for a couple of bags plus the lower level of legroom in this compact car won’t be an issue for day trips.

If you are looking to explore a bit further afield, you’ll want a rental car with a bit more bag space and a bit more legroom. Our Toyota Corolla wagon fits the bill perfectly for this purpose.

If you are here for the Winter skiing months, you’ll definitely want to pick up a rental with a bit more grunt that is 4WD to get you up to the mountain car parks. For this, our RAV4 or Prado are great options.

Feel free to give our team a call before booking to discuss what the best rental car option will be for your New Zealand trip!

Why are car rental prices so high?

This was a commonly asked question pre-lockdowns, and is asked even more so now. Car prices are based on demand, and typically people all want to rent a car at similar times of year (e.g. summer holidays, long weekends, school holidays etc) meaning there are peaks in rental car demand at these times. Rental car companies in NZ only have so many rental cars to offer, and rates typically rise as cars become fully booked out.

​During the NZ lockdowns, demand for rental cars reduced significantly meaning many rental car companies reduced the size of their rental fleets in order to continue operating. Rebuilding these fleet numbers has been difficult due to vehicle supply issues, meaning overall the price of rental cars has increased post-lockdowns.