Amelia WilliamsA few years ago, I rented a car in Napier and everything was fine—until the driver’s window refused to roll up. Not ideal in the middle of a Hawke’s Bay southerly.
I gripped the wheel with one hand and the window crank with the other, praying the rain would hold off and that the local seagulls wouldn’t get any ideas.
It turns out, almost everyone has a story about a car rental gone wrong. So, enough is enough.
I teamed up with the rest of the Auckland Magazine crew, and together we put Auckland’s car rental scene to the test. Here are the best car rentals in Auckland we found.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Auckland?
It costs at least $50 per day to rent a car in Auckland. This cost is just an estimate. The final cost will depend on the rental company you go to, the type of car you rent, and more.
1. RaD Car Hire West Auckland (New Lynn)
Address: 1b Portage Road, New Lynn
Contact Details: +64 9 817 6419
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9 AM to 5 PM
- Saturday – 9 AM to 12 PM
If you’re the kind of renter who values speed and flexibility over frills, RaD Car Hire West Auckland should be at the top of your list.
Several regulars have mentioned being handed the keys and being on the road within five minutes of walking in.
The fleet is refreshingly practical. If you’re after something fuel-efficient, you’ll find plenty of Mazda Demios and Nissan Notes. For families or groups, there’s a solid selection of minivans and a few luxury SUVs.
We like that every car comes with those little extras that make a difference—a working AUX cable, USB charger, and even an AA breakdown card tucked in the glovebox.
Unlimited kilometres mean you can head anywhere without watching the odometer. Insurance is also included in the daily rate, and there’s no minimum hire period.
The cancellation policy is fair: cancel more than 72 hours in advance and you’ll get your money back, no questions asked.
On the downside, deposits are $100 or 10% of the hire, whichever is higher. Also, the online booking process isn’t always as smooth as booking in person. Some people have reported booking a car online, only to receive an automatic decline message days later.
Very reasonable pricing
“Price including insurance very reasonable. Email ordering easy and car fuel efficient. Reception Staff clear with requirements. Everything ready for pick-up and clearance at the end of the rental period. Would recommend this West Auckland (New Lynn) Branch to any prospective car renters. Since the franchise is available across New Zealand and parts of Aussie will have no hesitation hiring from the company again should the need arise.”
–John Gross, Google Reviews
Friendly, helpful, and accomodating
“We’ve hired from RaD Car Hire (West branch) twice now and both times we had a great experience! The team are friendly, helpful and accomodating. Prices are definitely the best out there for such good quality cars. We will always be returning to RaD Car Hire for future trips. Thank you!”
–Jess Taliauli, Google Reviews
2. Kiwi Car Hire
Address: 154 McKenzie Road, Māngere Bridge
Contact Details: +64 800 354 500
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8 AM to 5 PM
- Saturday – 9 AM to 3 PM
Kiwi Car Hire is a 100% locally owned business, free from rigid franchise rules. That flexibility makes them perfect for travellers who appreciate being able to make decisions on the spot.
One thing we noticed right away: there’s no need for prepayment, a credit card hold, or a security bond. You can just book your car without having to tie up your funds, which honestly takes a lot of the stress out of the process.
If you’re booking for more than two days, their unlimited mileage means you’re free to explore. And every car comes with nationwide AA roadside support, so if anything does go wrong, help is always close by.
The best part is that Kiwi Car Hire also offers extras, like a GPS, child seat, roof rack, or even a luggage trailer. Customers we talked to really loved not having to hunt around for those things separately.
Adding up to four drivers at no extra cost is convenient, and airport pick-ups and drop-offs are available too.
The cancellation policy is fair: cancel within 14 days of your hire date and you’ll be charged either one day’s hire or 10% of your booking, but only if they can’t rebook the car.
Absolutely fantastic and more than affordable
”Absolutely fantastic! If I could give more stars to this company I would. Their customer service, quality of vehicle, rates to hire and all inclusions were absolutely fantastic and more than affordable. When visiting NZ, I will only ever be using Kiwi Car Hire. I can’t wait to rent from them again. Absolutely fantastic!!! It’s so great to be able to support a family owned and ran business. Thank you Leigh and Warren. All the best!”
–C Keatley, Google Reviews
The car was great
“Absolutely fantastic service. I was worried about what kind of car i would get for the price but was extremely surprised. The car was great. A slightly older model but it was clean and ran like a dream. We hired it for 2 weeks and did a fair amount of Ks (actually we did a lit of Ks lol) and the car didnt miss a beat..We will highly recommend this company to all out friends and we will certainly use them again on our next trip”
–Melissa Dixon,Google Reviews
3. Samuels Vehicle Hire Auckland
Address: 71b Montgomerie Road, Airport Oaks
Contact Details: +64 9 536 4560
If you need luxury group transport, Samuels Vehicle Hire is a great option. They only use Mercedes vehicles, from 7-seater vans to 20-seater minibuses.
We love how all their cars have comfortable interiors, good gas mileage, and nice extras like PA systems. Their meet-and-greet service at all New Zealand airports is also super handy, as is their 24/7 delivery and drop-off.
We found their prices very reasonable too. They’re within the city average and already include GST, insurance, unlimited kilometers (for rentals of five days or longer), and 24/7 Mercedes roadside help.
Additionally, we love that Samuels provides a chauffeur and tour service for those who don’t want to drive. They can even help plan your trip and book free activities.
A 10% deposit locks in your booking, and the rest is due within a week. If you return the vehicle early, you may be eligible for a refund, provided you give them at least 48 hours’ notice.
Keep in mind, though: if you cancel within a week of your booking, you’ll lose the full rental cost.
Amazing car and a very smooth process
“Excellent Experience! Amazing car and a very smooth process during both pick-up and drop-off. As promised, we were provided with a brand new car, and everything was absolutely flawless.
Thank you for your great service — truly appreciated!”
–Dipak Patel, Google Reviews
Seamless process
“Seamless process from my initial enquiry through to the return of the van. Thankyou. I have no hesitation in recommending Samuels.“
–Randal Law, Google Reviews
4. Mint Car Rentals – Car hire Auckland Airport
Address: 103 Westney Road, Māngere
Contact Details: +64 800 842 424
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 8 AM to 5 PM
Mint Car Rentals is a popular choice for travellers landing at Auckland Airport who want to hit the road without delay.
People have told us that within minutes of landing at Auckland International and texting the support number, a Mint rep was there with keys in hand. Travellers also appreciate that the 24/7 support line is actually answered by a real person, even late at night.
Mint’s fleet covers a lot of ground: eco-friendly hybrids for city errands, roomy 4×4 wagons, and eight-seaters for larger groups.
Plus, we love that the shop allows customers to bring their pets with them if they’re crated. It’s a fair policy, though we found the $150 cleaning fee for non-compliance steep.
Speaking of pricing, we really like that the price you see online is the price you pay—it includes insurance, extra drivers, and unlimited mileage.
One thing to watch out for, though, is the $350 pre-authorisation on your card. While it’s not actually taken out, it does tie up some of your credit or debit limit, which could be a hassle if you’re travelling on a tight budget.
Drove perfectly, and customer support kept in touch
“Worth your money. Good service. I rented a car from Mint Rentals for two months for a road trip on both the south and north island. Good price – you get what you pay for – an older car model with some miles on it, but absolutely worth your money. Car had no problems at all, and was clean and smelled nice at pickup. Drove perfectly, and customer support kept in touch the whole trip. Extremely quick replies. Drop off was easy as nothing – quick look around the car to see that I had not caused any new damage, checked the fuel gage, and asked about only a single thing. Drove me straight back to the airport. Incredible service, good prices and older, but nicely kept cars. Would definitely recommend, and would be my choice of rental company if I get back.”
–Sebastian Lang Troelsen, Google Reviews
Customer service was outstanding
“Very thorough, car was relatively newish, clean and tidy. Customer service was outstanding. Shuttle pick up after hours was clearly explained. Return to the airport was seamless. I left my sunglasses case in the rental car, they delivered it to me at the airport before my flight left, with a smile! 5 star service. Thanks Mint :)”
–Rushlee Smith, Google Reviews
5. Omega Rental Cars
Address: 3 Kingsford Smith Place, Māngere
Contact Details: +64 9 275 3265
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 5 PM
Omega Rental Cars is awesome for business travellers because of their Omega Business Club. We love that it’s free to sign up, and you even get guaranteed discounts and easy online booking.
They are just five minutes from the airport, so airport transfers are easy thanks to their complimentary shuttle.
However, for those arriving or returning outside regular office hours, you’ll need to collect or drop off your car at the Park-n-Fly facility. This does come with a $46 car park exit fee—a bit of a sting, so it’s worth factoring into your budget.
Their rentals range from fuel-efficient economy sedans and hybrids (they’re big on Toyotas) to larger family cars, MPVs, and luxury SUVs. They also offer front-facing child seats on request at no extra charge.
That said, the cancellation policy is on the stricter side: cancel 24–72 hours before pickup and you’ll pay 20% of the total hire. If you cancel within 24 hours, the fee jumps to 40%.
Good location close to the airport
“Great experience. Easy to navigate out of hours pick -up. Good location close to the airport. Free shuttle. Great pricing even with Gold standard insurance! Thanks Omega”
–Small scientist Saia, Google Reviews
The pick-up and drop off process was straightforward
“We recently rented a car for a holiday covering both islands of New Zealand. Not only were Omega able to do this, they also took care of our ferry transfer and tickets from Wellington. One less thing for us to worry about and organise. The process to book a car was very easy and everything was confirmed via email, including our ferry tickets. After a change from our airline we needed to add an additional day to our rental, and this was not a problem and was amended promptly. One payment for the car rental and ferry tickets made paying at pick-up very easy. The pick-up and drop off process was straightforward and quick. We would definitely recommend using Omega for any future car rentals in New Zealand.”
–Lynne Thomson, Google Reviews
