Two weeks of Auckland summer light, from Boxing Day to the second week of January
Late December in Auckland Downtown means long evenings, a harbour crowded with sails and ferries, and fireworks off the Sky Tower on New Year's Eve. Locals head out of the city for the beaches while visitors arrive to start their own loop north or south. If you want the freedom to chase the coast between Boxing Day and the second week of January, a rental car from Auckland Downtown is the easiest way to do it, and 14 nights gives you time to go properly far. Book early, because this is the busiest fortnight of the New Zealand summer.
Thrifty owns the bargain end of this fortnight. Its Suzuki Swift comes to $2700 (about $193 a day) and its cheapest listings are all under $3500, while Budget's cheapest, a Mazda 3 at $3354, is already above the overall median of $3444. The biggest gap is the Mitsubishi Outlander, which costs $1217 less with Thrifty than with Budget, so compare the same model across suppliers before you commit.
Nine of the thirteen cars seat five, which suits most couples and small families, but only two seat seven, so grab one early if you're travelling with a crowd. Most of the fleet runs on petrol or diesel, with just two hybrids, and summer roads are dry enough that you won't need four wheel drive for the usual Coromandel or Bay of Islands routes. Expect slow motorway traffic out of the city around New Year's Day, so pick up your car early in the morning and be on the road before the queues build.