You'll find all types of cars available to rent in New Zealand. Choosing a car usually comes down to price and space. The number of people and bags, plus the length of your trip, are usually the deciding factors when comparing vehicles.

New Zealand's roads are generally well-maintained, so you don't need a heavy-duty vehicle to get travel outside of cities. A mid-sized hatch is more than enough for two people and their bags. A Mazda 3 handles well in both the town and the country. If you're travelling light, a small hatch Suzuki Swift might be all you need.

A four-wheel drive or one of our SUVs can be great if you're keen to drive through mountain ranges and other remote areas or go on ski trips.

In terms of price, the age and model of the car can affect the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Choosing a newer or more fuel-efficient car can make your rental cheaper to drive. However, you can often rent older vehicles for much cheaper than the newer models. If you don't mind having a few more kilometres on the clock, it’s a great way to keep the cost of renting a car down.

Manuel cars aren't common in New Zealand. For example, all JUCY vehicles are fully automatic. This makes it easier for everyone to drive our vehicles, so you can focus on staying on the left side of the road instead of changing gears. 

Having rental car insurance, or excess reduction, is highly recommended but not compulsory in New Zealand. So, if your rental car is damaged by a third party and you don’t have cover you might not be able to recover the costs.

JUCY offers multiple excess reduction options for all vehicles. For a small additional daily cost, you can feel at ease knowing your insurance excess is reduced. The most comprehensive cover, which reduces your excess to $0, also covers you for windscreen or glass damage. 

If you choose to travel in a JUCY vehicle without excess reduction, or if you take out car insurance separately, you’ll be required to have a bond on your credit card. This can be up to $2000 for cars. Although we don’t remove the amount from your account, the funds will be frozen for the duration of your trip, meaning you won’t be able to access that money. 

It can be tempting to save money on your car rental by treating your wheels as a hotel. However, freedom camping in a car is illegal in most places in New Zealand. To freedom camp legally, you will need a self-contained campervan. This is to ensure that you aren't dumping grey or black water in public areas. If you're interested in sleeping in your vehicle and waking up closer to the view, take a look at our self-contained campervans. 

You can sleep in your car if you stay in a campground. There are a few free campsites around New Zealand – the Department of Conservation has a fantastic network of camping grounds around the country. Basic DOC campsites are free, while standard campsites cost a small fee. Toilets and running water are typically provided, so you can easily sleep in your car when staying at these campsites. It doesn't cost any extra to pitch a tent though, and you'll have a much more comfortable sleep!