Only two rental cars left for Chinese New Year in Auckland City
February hands Auckland its best light. The sun is still up past eight in the evening and the gulf breeze finally has some warmth in it. Red lanterns are going up around town too, because Chinese New Year lands right at the start of this fortnight. Families come for the festival food and the last stretch of beach weather, and the smart ones sort their Auckland City car rental before the flight, since Auckland sprawls and the best swimming spots sit well past the bus routes.
The price board for these two weeks is unusually thin. Of 18 listings, only Ezi came back with a priced vehicle, and just the two of them. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid sits at $2366 for the fortnight, while the Corolla Cross asks $3640, a $1274 gap that makes the SUV the sleeper deal. If a number you like appears, book it the same day, because 16 of the 18 listings already show no availability.
Half the fleet is hybrid, so fuel stops will be scarce even with a run out to Piha or down toward the Coromandel turn-off. Sixteen of the 18 vehicles seat five, plenty of room for two adults, the kids, and a boot of beach gear, but the single 7 or 9 seater will not wait for a bigger crew. Auckland is all 2WD country in February, so take the hybrid and pick up midweek rather than on the festival Saturday, when the airport counter queue snakes out the door.