Two winter weeks of Auckland Domestic Airport road trip freedom
Mid June to early July in Auckland brings short golden afternoons, grey squalls rolling in off the Manukau and a heater you'll be glad of in the terminal queue. The Dragon Boat Festival stretches this trip into two full weeks, enough to chase the Waitomo glowworm caves, soak in Rotorua and still get home for the Matariki fireworks. Fourteen nights is a lot of kilometres, so give Auckland Domestic Airport car rental a proper look before you click the first price you see. Pick up at the airport and you're on State Highway 20 within minutes, with the whole upper North Island ahead of you.
Sixt is the story here. Its cheapest car is a Toyota Corolla Hybrid at $261 for the whole fortnight, and its average sits at $538 against $1,494 for Ezi. Ezi does win the bigger vehicles, with the RAV4 Hybrid at $1,158 and the Prado at $1,298, so settle on the size you need first, then compare prices within it.
Seven of the sixteen cars are hybrids, which stretch a tank nicely on the long haul south through the Waikato. Eleven seat five, but if you're carrying seven or more you only have five options, including the $915 Ford Transit and the $1,816 Kia Carnival, so lock those in early. In winter the roads around Rotorua and the Desert Road can turn slick or icy, and a four wheel drive such as the Prado or Hilux is a comfortable pick if you're heading for the mountains. Collect your car in daylight if you can. June evenings go dark before 5.30pm, and you'll want time to adjust your mirrors and find the wipers.