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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals, and with prices around RM 50/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from New Zealand Discount Car Rentals is ECONOMY, which starts as low as RM 19/day.

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

At RM 53/day, the cheapest car rental price in New Zealand was found in Christchurch. On average, Wellington has the cheapest daily rental car price (RM 84/day), which is 26% below average price for cities in New Zealand.

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

Cars in New Zealand are to be driven on the left side of the road.

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

Out of all the popular cities in New Zealand, Christchurch is the cheapest city to rent a car in at just RM 55/day. Renting a car in Christchurch is 35% cheaper than renting one in Wellington where the per day rate is around RM 84. Other fairly inexpensive cities in New Zealand to get a rental car in are: Auckland (RM 82/day), Queenstown (RM 83/day), and Wellington (RM 84/day). While these cities typically have cheaper prices than the rest of the country, travelers looking to rent a car in Auckland should expect to spend around RM 82/day on their transportation. The most popular city to rent a car in New Zealand is Auckland.

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New Zealand car rentals in 2025

Most popular company	New Zealand Discount Car Rentals
Most common car type	Compact
Average price per day	RM 103
Cheapest price per day	RM 22

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Popular car types in New Zealand

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There are currently 832 hire locations operating in New Zealand spread across 98 car hire agencies. In the past week, the cheapest car type to hire in New Zealand is small car at RM 22 a day. Below are all the 3 car types available for hiring in the area, along with estimated starting prices:

Economy

RM 22+

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Compact

RM 33+

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Full-size

RM 244+

View Deal

SUV

RM 103+

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People carrier

RM 105+

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Full-size SUV

RM 259+

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Pick-up truck

RM 256+

View Deal

Compact SUV

RM 88+

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Compare car rental deals in New Zealand by type

Here are the best New Zealand small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best New Zealand SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Honda JazzRM 22/day

A/C

Honda CityRM 33/day

A/C

Honda CityRM 35/day

A/C

Best car rental deals found in New Zealand

Honda JazzRM 22/day

A/C

Honda CityRM 33/day

A/C

Honda CityRM 35/day

A/C

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?

Book your car hire in New Zealand 7 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car hire prices are around RM 190/day on average when booked 7 days ahead, which saves you 304% off the average price.

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What is the cheapest car hire company in New Zealand?

New Zealand Discount Car Rentals is currently the cheapest car hire company in New Zealand with deals as low as RM 19.42/day found in the past two weeks. EZU Car Rental is another inexpensive option with rates as low as RM 28.54/day.

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

Planning to hire a car in New Zealand? May is the cheapest month, costing about RM 132 per day. In contrast, December is the most expensive, with an average daily rate of RM 304. Monthly average car hire prices are listed below. Remember, prices can change based on when you book, the type of car, and availability.

January

RM 256

February

RM 245

March

RM 228

April

RM 211

May

RM 132

June

RM 141

July

RM 151

August

RM 150

September

RM 161

October

RM 166

November

RM 214

December

RM 304

What car do most people hire in New Zealand?

Economy cars (Toyota Yaris or similar) are the most popular option for those visiting New Zealand. Intermediate cars (Mitsubishi Outlander or similar) are also a popular choice, followed by Mini cars (Class Mini Car or similar).

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

Thrifty has 63 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Hertz has the second-highest number of locations in New Zealand at 59.

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 Christchurch, where rates average RM 55/day. You can also find good prices in Auckland (RM 82/day), Queenstown (RM 83/day), and Wellington (RM 84/day).

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Top rental agencies in New Zealand

Apex

8.7

Very Good

42 reviews•15 locations

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Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Jan 2025

Easy pick up and drop off

6.0

Okay|Nov 2024

The rep was fantastic . Really friendly and polite. The vehicle was disappointing ie front left window rattles when driving, brakes were quite sensitive,, and poor pickup from starting off.

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2024

LOVED MY CUSTOMER SERVICE, CLEANLINESS, EASY PROCESS

8.0

Very Good|Jul 2022

Everything was fine except that we couldn't alter the return time because we didn't book direct. This left us with a massive gap between dropping the car off and our flight. Next time I'll book direct to avoid this.

1 out of 14

Apex Locations in New Zealand

Budget

8.3

Very Good

38 reviews•21 locations

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Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

Very good experience!

2.0

Poor|Mar 2023

We were conned into buying insurance for the duration of our rental, even though the woman knew we would not be able to keep the vehicle for the entire time because of the ferry fiascos. I was told by several budget representatives that we could have a refund for the prorated portion of the insurance that we no longer needed ( a week's worth) but was denied by a very rude woman who told us we were 'stupid to believe' what we had been told.

1 out of 13

Budget Locations in New Zealand

Hertz

8.3

Very Good

51 reviews•59 locations

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Recent reviews

4.0

Mediocre|Feb 2025

Much of the information I was asked to produce had already been supplied in original email contact. I felt things could have been sped up. But staff member I dealt with was friendly and helpful.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2024

The third party I booked through failed to send my details to Hertz. Waited almost an hour for the keys to the car. Had to pay extra on pickup even thought I fully booked/paid online prior. I would reccomend booking directly with Hertz.

2.0

Poor|May 2023

Very disappointed in not having being told the truth of my bond that was not returned to me as said it would be am still expecting to see it in my acc

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

everything was fine and well, great service 💯

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

The category of car we ordered was not available so we got an upgrade. Very nice.

10.0

Wonderful|Mar 2023

Very easy rental .... no catches no problems

1 out of 17

Ace Rental Cars

8.3

Very Good

38 reviews•19 locations

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Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Feb 2025

We had trouble finding the pickup address . Ace had the old address on the internet…. We spent a half hour trying to find the new address

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2024

The assigned car was a diesel so we spent much less on fuel. Everything went very smoothly and timely from pickup to drop-off including the shuttle ride to the departure terminal. The Ace staff were all very friendly.

8.0

Very Good|Nov 2024

Pick up was good drop off was unorganised

8.0

Very Good|Oct 2024

The lady at drop off was very helpful and the process was excellent. Pick up was okay, but we're used to a rep going over the car with us which didn't happen. Light rain at the time may have been part of the problem. Staff still helpful, though everything is now done on phone?? Car itself was very comfortable and clean and being a hybrid it was economical on fuel.

8.0

Very Good|Apr 2023

The car was extremely clean upon pick up, and as described, or better. Unfortunately there was an issue with outdated information on Ace's pick up instructions in our pick up location. After some initial difficulty and being unable to get a hold of Ace rental in Greymouth, NZ, staff were very responsive to our difficulties and chased up the company, seemingly straight away, to confirm the correct pick up process.

1 out of 13

Ace Rental Cars Locations in New Zealand

Avis

9.5

Wonderful

21 reviews•21 locations

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Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

Staff very helpful changed car at depot no problem

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

Avis delivered a new, clean, quality automobile (precisely like I reserved), and the customer service at the Queenstown Airport was fantastic. This is what the car rental experience should be like everywhere.

8.0

Very Good|Mar 2023

Easy to schedule a Queenstown to Christchurch one-way drop off. On-site pick up and drop off were seamless.

10.0

Wonderful|Mar 2023

I needed a large SUV at a reasonable price - and Avis provided a terrific, low-mileage vehicle that performed perfectly during a month and 3,000 kms of driving. Both pickup and return were hassle free.

1 out of 7

Avis Locations in New Zealand

EZI

9.0

Wonderful

17 reviews•28 locations

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EZI Locations in New Zealand

Thrifty

8.0

Very Good

24 reviews•63 locations

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Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Jan 2025

Arrived to collect my car with confirmation paperwork, to be told the booking did not exist There was NO communication regarding possible cancellation, there had been NO communication regarding the cancellation, I had in my possession the CONFIRMATION email dated 2 days prior to pickup. Staff were not at all helpful in trying to find the error - there was no booking so NOT their problem Will not be recommending or using Thrifty in the future

6.0

Okay|Jul 2024

Not the most welcoming service and not being explained the extra charges with EV before pick up. No explanation on how to charge the EV e.g. download the ChargeNet app to use the charger.

4.0

Mediocre|Feb 2023

Honest Price too high

1 out of 8

Bargain Rental Cars

20 locations

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Bargain Rental Cars Locations in New Zealand

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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals, and with prices around RM 50/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from New Zealand Discount Car Rentals is ECONOMY, which starts as low as RM 19/day.
What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in New Zealand?
At RM 53/day, the cheapest car rental price in New Zealand was found in Christchurch. On average, Wellington has the cheapest daily rental car price (RM 84/day), which is 26% below average price for cities in New Zealand.
What side of the road do you drive on in New Zealand?
Cars in New Zealand are to be driven on the left side of the road.

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 (RM 9+).

Electric

RM 37+

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Hybrid

RM 9+

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Petrol/Diesel

RM 9+

View Deal

St. Petersburg

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Cheap Car Rentals in New Zealand from RM 22

New Zealand car rentals in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car rental in New Zealand. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 17 September 2025.

Most popular company

Most common car type

Average price per day

Cheapest price per day

Popular car types in New Zealand

Explore the most popular car models available for rent in New Zealand and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car rental companies and was last updated on 17 September 2025.

Compare car rental deals in New Zealand by type

Best car rental deals found in New Zealand

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?

What is the cheapest car hire company in New Zealand?

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

What car do most people hire in New Zealand?

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

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

Top rental agencies in New Zealand

Explore the leading car rental agencies in New Zealand known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car rental companies in New Zealand. Reviews were last updated on 17 September 2025.

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car rentals in New Zealand, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 17 September 2025.

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

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

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

Car rentals by fuel type in New Zealand

Browse car rentals by fuel type in New Zealand. Currently, Petrol/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in New Zealand. Deals were last updated on 17 September 2025.

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