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New Zealand

Cheap Car Rentals in New Zealand from $12

Driver's age: 25-65
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New Zealand car rentals in 2026

Most popular company

North Car Rental

Most common car type

Standard

Average price per day

$67

Cheapest price per day

$12
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Popular car types in New Zealand

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There are currently 913 hire locations operating in New Zealand spread across 115 car hire agencies. In the past week, the cheapest car type to hire in New Zealand is small car at $12 a day. Below are all the 6 car types available for hiring in the area, along with estimated starting prices:

Economy

Economy

$12+

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Compact

Compact

$12+

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Intermediate

Intermediate

$36+

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Full-size

Full-size

$68+

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SUV

SUV

$38+

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People mover

People mover

$29+

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Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

$48+

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Passenger van

Passenger van

$50+

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Best car rental deals found in New Zealand

Mazda Demio$12/day
Mazda Demio
Found 09/14/26
Peugeot 308$12/day
Peugeot 308
Found 09/14/26
Kia Rio$13/day
Kia Rio
Found 09/14/26

Cheapflights insights for New Zealand car rentals

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in New Zealand, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in New Zealand?

To get the best deal on a rental car in New Zealand, book about 30 days before your trip. At that point, average daily prices are around $85, which is about 61% cheaper than the typical rate.

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What is the cheapest car hire company in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, the most affordable car hire company right now is New Zealand Discount Car Rentals, offering prices from just $5.44/day over the past two weeks. Another budget-friendly choice is Bargain Rental Cars, with rates starting at $6.14/day.

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in New Zealand?

The cheapest month to hire a car in New Zealand is June, when you can expect to pay $62/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in New Zealand is February ($142/day on average). The average daily car hire price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you hire.

January

$122

February

$142

March

$104

April

$83

May

$82

June

$62

July

$81

August

$65

September

$72

October

$80

November

$86

December

$124

What car do most people hire in New Zealand?

SUV cars (Kia Sportage, for example) are the most popular in New Zealand. Compact (Ford Focus) and Passenger van (Mazda Mazda5) cars are also often chosen by our users when visiting New Zealand.

Which car hire company has the most locations in New Zealand?

Avis has 21 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. NextCar has the second-highest number of locations in New Zealand at 1.

What are the car rental prices for popular cities in New Zealand?

If you're looking for the best car rental deals in New Zealand, start with Auckland, where rates average $12/day. You can also find good prices in Hamilton ($19/day), Christchurch ($21/day), and Picton ($34/day).

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Top rental agencies in New Zealand

Avis

9.5
Wonderful
20 reviews•21 locations
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Overview

Cleanliness

9.5

Comfort

9.6

Overall

9.5

Pick-up/drop-off

9.3

Value

9.0

NextCar

1 location
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JUCY

8 locations
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National

8 locations
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NZZU

2 locations
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Rhodium

2 locations
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Maui

3 locations
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Hao Car Rentals Limited

2 locations
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Car rental FAQs

  • What is the most popular car hire provider in New Zealand?

    When hiring a car in New Zealand, the most popular provider of hire cars among Cheapflights users is Mode, and with prices around $101/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from Mode is PASSENGER_VAN, which starts as low as $35/day.

  • What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in New Zealand?

    At $33/day, the cheapest car rental price in New Zealand was found in Lower Hutt. On average, Lower Hutt has the cheapest daily rental car price ($77/day), which is 42% below average price for cities in New Zealand.

  • What side of the road do you drive on in New Zealand?

    Cars travel on the left side of the road in New Zealand.

Car rentals by fuel type in New Zealand

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Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in New Zealand. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Petrol/Diesel being the cheapest ($7+).

Electric

Electric

$29+

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Hybrid

Hybrid

$7+

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Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

$7+

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