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Car rental rates in Wellington / Te Whanganui a Tara
Set at the southern tip of the North Island, Wellington / Te Whanganui a Tara is the capital of New Zealand, and one of the most popular destinations in the country. A beautiful harbour-side city, Wellington is known for its museums, galleries, tremendous food scene, and its icy winds. Wellington lies two and a half hours by car from Wanganui and a six-hour drive from Tauranga.
Getting on the road in Wellington is easy with VroomVroomVroom. By using our easy to use search to find a competitive car hire rate from our selection of well respected car hire provider, you can book your car in as little as a couple of minutes.
Compact Car
View offerTravel 18 Feb - 21 Feb 2026
from NZD $181/day


Intermediate SUV
View offerTravel 14 Feb - 17 Feb 2026
from NZD $237/day


Premium Ute (double cab)
View offerTravel 14 Feb - 17 Feb 2026
from NZD $276/day


Fullsize Passenger Van
View offerTravel 14 Feb - 17 Feb 2026
from NZD $291/day


Premium SUV
View offerTravel 14 Feb - 17 Feb 2026
from NZD $296/day


Standard SUV
View offerTravel 18 Feb - 21 Feb 2026
from NZD $350/day


Luxury Elite SUV
View offerTravel 18 Feb - 21 Feb 2026
from NZD $351/day


Compact SUV
View offerTravel 18 Feb - 21 Feb 2026
from NZD $351/day


Fullsize SUV
View offerTravel 18 Feb - 21 Feb 2026
from NZD $360/day


Rental rate prices displayed are NZD and were available in response to a search at 12:01 am on February 12, 2026 by a New Zealand resident aged between 30 and 69 years old, for the specified travel dates, with a pickup and return time of 10:00 am. Rates and vehicle availability may change without notice. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates. Rates include all mandatory fees for the rental and exclude credit card surcharges and extras.
Rates are in NZD and were last updated on 12 February, 2026
YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY
Here’s what VroomVroomVroom customers think
We ask users of our booking service to review it after they've completed their reservation. We present a selection of reviews on this page. Our review scores are calculated by averaging the scores of all the reviews that we collect. We don't publish reviews that violate our guidelines. To learn more about guidelines and our reviews generally, visit Terms and Conditions.
Learn more about our reviews.
WE COMPARE CAR HIRE
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Quick facts on hiring a car in Wellington
| 🚗 Vehicle types | Car, Passenger Van, Pick up (double cab), SUV and Sport. |
|---|---|
| 🔑 No. of depots | Seven car rental depots in Wellington. |
| ✅ Rental brands | Apex, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty. |
Car models commonly available in Wellington
Popular rental car models in Wellington last month
- % of BookingsModelPrice range last monthProviders
1
15%
63345
Mitsubishi OutlanderStandard SUV
5
5
1 large, 3 small
Rent withBudget, Europcar, Thrifty
2
15%
46215
Suzuki SwiftEconomy Car
5
4
2 small
Rent withEuropcar, Hertz
3
11%
83126
Mitsubishi ASXCompact SUV
5
5
2 large, 3 small
Rent withApex
4
11%
12580
Mystery CarSpecial Special Offer Car
5
4
1 small
Rent withEuropcar, Budget
5
7%
1157
Mazda 3Compact Car
5
5
1 small
Rent withBudget
BMW vehicles for hire in Wellington

Bmw X5
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar
Ford vehicles for hire in Wellington

Ford Everest
7
5
2 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz, Europcar, Avis, Budget

Ford Mustang
2
2
1 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Ford Ranger Wildtrak
5
4
4 small
ProvidersEuropcar
Honda vehicles for hire in Wellington

Honda Cr-v Awd
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar

Honda Zr-v Sport
5
5
2 small
ProvidersEuropcar
Hyundai vehicles for hire in Wellington

Hyundai Imax
8
5
3 large, 4 small
ProvidersApex

Hyundai KonaElectric
5
5
2 small
ProvidersBudget

Hyundai Kona ElectricElectric
5
4
3 small
ProvidersAvis
Kia vehicles for hire in Wellington

Kia Carnival
8
5
4 small
ProvidersAvis, Budget

Kia Carnival or Hyunda Imax or Toyota Previa
8
5
2 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Kia Niro HybridHybrid
5
4
1 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Kia Seltos
5
5
1 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Kia Sorento
5
5
5 small
ProvidersAvis, Budget

Kia Sportage
5
5
2 large, 2 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Kia Stonic
5
4
1 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz
Mazda vehicles for hire in Wellington

Mazda 3
5
5
2 small
ProvidersAvis, Budget

Mazda CX-30
5
5
2 small
ProvidersBudget, Avis
Mitsubishi vehicles for hire in Wellington

Mitsubishi ASX
5
5
2 large, 3 small
ProvidersApex

Mitsubishi Outlander
5
5
5 small
ProvidersAvis, Europcar, Thrifty, Hertz, Budget

Mitsubishi Pajero
7
4
4 small
ProvidersEuropcar
Polestar vehicles for hire in Wellington

Polestar 2Electric
5
4
1 large, 2 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz
Skoda vehicles for hire in Wellington

Skoda Kodiaq
7
5
2 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz
Suzuki vehicles for hire in Wellington

Suzuki Swift
5
4
2 small
ProvidersEuropcar, Thrifty, Hertz
Tesla vehicles for hire in Wellington

Tesla Model 3Electric
5
4
2 small
ProvidersBudget

Tesla Model 3 ElectricElectric
5
4
3 small
ProvidersAvis
Toyota vehicles for hire in Wellington

Toyota Corolla
5
5
2 large, 3 small
ProvidersApex

Toyota Corolla Hatch
5
5
1 large, 3 small
ProvidersApex

Toyota Hiace
12
5
8 large, 8 small
ProvidersApex

Toyota Highlander
5
5
4 large, 3 small
ProvidersApex

Toyota RAV-4 HybridHybrid
5
5
1 large, 1 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Toyota Rav4Hybrid
5
5
2 small
ProvidersBudget, Apex

Toyota Rav4 4w.d.
5
5
4 large, 3 small
ProvidersApex

Toyota Rav4 Gx HybridHybrid
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar

Toyota Rav4 HybridHybrid
5
5
5 small
ProvidersAvis

Toyota Yaris Gx HybridHybrid
5
4
2 small
ProvidersEuropcar
Other vehicles for hire in Wellington

12 Seat Bus
12
4
12 large
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz

Chery Tiggo 4 Ultimate
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar

Chery Tiggo 8Hybrid
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar

Lp C10Hybrid
5
4
3 small
ProvidersEuropcar

Mystery Car
5
4
2 small
ProvidersBudget, Europcar

Premium DC 4WD Lid Canopy
5
4
2 large, 2 small
ProvidersThrifty, Hertz
“Or similar” refers to how our rental providers classify cars. Please be advised they cannot guarantee that a specific car model will be available. Partners categorise similar models into “vehicle groups” and confirm availability on this basis. Our team are available to contact the depot on your behalf where you are picking up your vehicle to enquire what models are available under the vehicle group you booked. Please contact customer support for further information.
Vehicle models are subject to provider availability
Wellington daily rate data
Price range over the past 12 months for a compact car
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
$541
$541
$541
$541
13 Feb
$541
$541
$541
$541
14 Feb
$269
$269
$269
$269
15 Feb
$269
$354
$269
$354
16 Feb
$263
$280
$263
$280
17 Feb
$188
$262
$188
$262
18 Feb
$181
$183
$181
$183
Price range over the past 12 months for a compact SUV
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
$586
$586
$586
$586
13 Feb
$586
$586
$586
$586
14 Feb
$586
$586
$586
$586
15 Feb
$586
$604
$586
$604
16 Feb
$545
$545
$545
$545
17 Feb
$535
$545
$535
$545
18 Feb
$351
$351
$351
$351
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
$585
$585
$585
$585
13 Feb
$585
$585
$585
$585
14 Feb
$237
$585
$237
$585
15 Feb
$585
$603
$585
$603
16 Feb
$544
$544
$544
$544
17 Feb
$534
$544
$534
$544
18 Feb
$350
$350
$350
$350
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
$585
$594
$585
$594
13 Feb
$585
$594
$585
$594
14 Feb
$585
$709
$585
$709
15 Feb
$585
$637
$585
$637
16 Feb
$544
$585
$544
$585
17 Feb
$534
$585
$534
$585
18 Feb
$350
$360
$350
$360
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
$594
$765
$594
$765
13 Feb
$594
$765
$594
$765
14 Feb
$296
$600
$296
$600
15 Feb
$296
$619
$296
$619
16 Feb
$296
$594
$296
$594
17 Feb
$296
$594
$296
$594
18 Feb
$296
$360
$296
$360
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
There is limited availability for pick up at this location on some dates in the next seven days. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates and availability.
Limited availability
13 Feb
There is limited availability for pick up at this location on some dates in the next seven days. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates and availability.
Limited availability
14 Feb
$291
$341
$291
$341
15 Feb
$291
$341
$291
$341
16 Feb
$291
$341
$291
$341
17 Feb
$291
$341
$291
$341
18 Feb
$291
$341
$291
$341
Next 7 days rates
Per day price range
12 Feb
There is limited availability for pick up at this location on some dates in the next seven days. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates and availability.
Limited availability
13 Feb
There is limited availability for pick up at this location on some dates in the next seven days. Use our price comparison tool to get current rental rates and availability.
Limited availability
14 Feb
$276
$323
$276
$323
15 Feb
$276
$323
$276
$323
16 Feb
$276
$323
$276
$323
17 Feb
$276
$323
$276
$323
18 Feb
$276
$323
$276
$323
Historical daily rate pricing information is data from actual bookings made using our search engine in the previous 12 months.
Next 7 days rates are obtained from searches in our reservation system for a 3 day rental duration, by an Australian resident aged between 30 and 69 years old, with a pickup and return time of 10:00 am on the indicated pick up date. Rates and vehicle availability may change without notice.
Prices are in NZD and include all mandatory fees for the rental and exclude credit card surcharges and extras.
While we make reasonable efforts to provide accurate and reliable data, the data is provided ‘as is’ and errors or other defects may occur. For more information, click here: Terms and Conditions.
Rates are in NZD and were last updated on 12 February, 2026
Wellington Airport car hire
Are you flying into Wellington?
Consider collecting your vehicle from the airport. We work with a range of car hire providers at Wellington Airport (WLG).

Local expert tips for hiring a car in Wellington
Stop signs and amber lights
If you come across a stop sign, you are required to bring your vehicle to a complete stop before you check for oncoming traffic, and if the traffic lights are flashing amber, please give way to other traffic.
Peak hour traffic
Traffic can be busy in Wellington during peak times, so if possible avoid driving across peak periods or allow extra time for your trip during these periods.
Keep to the left
If you are visiting from another country, take note that in New Zealand you must keep to the left side of the road.
Watch your speed
The speed limit on major highways linking Wellington to other New Zealand locations is generally 100km for cars.
Simplify hiring a car
You will need to fill your rental car with fuel before you return it to the depot. There are plenty of petrol stations located in and around downtown Wellington.
Wellington parking
During weekdays, parking fees will apply for on-street parking around the city centre. On weekends and public holidays, parking is not charged, but time restrictions will still apply.
Car rental depots in Wellington
Find a convenient car hire depot on the map below.

Apex Wellington City
View details4.7 (15)Mon–Sun 08:00–16:30186 Victoria Street, Te Aro, North Island

Avis Wellington City
View detailsNo reviewsMon–Fri 08:00–17:30, Sat–Sun 08:00–17:00186 Victoria St Te Aro, North Island

Budget Wellington
View details4.9 (7)Mon–Fri 08:00–17:30, Sat–Sun 08:00–17:00186 Victoria St Te Aro, North Island

Dollar Wellington Downtown
View detailsNo reviewsMon–Fri 07:30–17:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–17:0038-44 Hania St, Wellington, North Island

Europcar Wellington Ferry Terminal
View detailsNo reviewsMon–Sun 08:00–17:00Wellington Ferry - 1 Aotea Quay, North Island

Hertz Wellington Downtown
View details4.7 (5)Mon–Fri 07:30–17:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–17:0038-44 Hania St, Wellington, North Island

Thrifty Wellington Downtown
View details4.2 (8)Mon–Fri 07:30–17:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–17:0038-44 Hania St, Wellington, North Island
Frequently asked questions
On hiring a car in Wellington
How much does it cost to hire a car in Wellington?
Prices start at NZD $181 per day for an Economy Car, up to NZD $360 per day for a Premium SUV. Get a live rate for your planned dates and desired vehicle in Wellington.
How much does it cost to hire a Minivan or People Mover in Wellington?
If you’ve got a crowd, but don’t need something as large as a bus, then a 7-seater or 8-seater Minivan hire might be your best option. A Minivan costs NZD $291 per day. Check for a live rate by entering your desired car hire dates in Wellington.
What is the highest-rated hire car in Wellington?
The highest-rated rental car in Wellington is Toyota Rav4 4w.d. or similar, based on ratings by our customers within the last 12 months.
What is the highest-rated car hire provider in Wellington?
Budget is the highest-rated car hire provider in Wellington, based on ratings by our customers.
Is it cheaper to book a weekly car rental in Wellington?
The per-day rates of some rental cars may fall if you book for a longer rental period. Prices often change around daily, three-day, five-day and seven-day periods. Also, note that the selection of rental cars available in Wellington may be more limited if you are looking for a long-term car rental, so it’s best to compare a few different booking durations first.
Is it easy to drive a rental car in Wellington?
You can expect the same type of traffic in Wellington as you would be used to in any capital city, which is to say peak hour can lengthen your travel time. It is also important to note that Wellington is often referred to as the Windy City and you should heed the weather situation when driving — especially if you are not used to driving in high wind conditions.
Can I take the hire car on the ferry to Picton?
Each provider has its own terms and conditions when it comes to taking a rental car on the ferry to Picton. In some instances you’re allowed to, however, the car is not insured while on the ferry. In other instances, you will need to drop your rental car at the Wellington Ferry Terminal and collect another rental car once you arrive in Picton. If you require further information about using the ferry, please contact our customer care team.
Have a question we haven’t answered?
