Sunlit South Island road trips start with cheap rental cars Christchurch City
The summer sun is beating down on the empty roads of the Canterbury Plains this January first. Clear blue skies bake the Port Hills and the long evenings are perfect for a twilight picnic by the Avon River. After a big 2027 New Year's Day celebration, securing a reliable Christchurch City car rental is your first step to tracing the spectacular coastline down to Akaroa. The festive rush is officially over, but the summer holiday spirit is still pumping through the city streets.
Sorting out your car hire in Christchurch City for an eight day stint is incredibly simple this week because Ezi is the only supplier on the board. The median sits at $1,624, but a smart booker skips the expensive options and heads straight for the cheapest set of wheels at $1,029. Grabbing an Intermediate sedan saves you over $700 compared to the premium SUVs, leaving plenty of extra cash for fresh crayfish and local Sauvignon Blanc.
You will mostly find five seater hybrids on the forecourt right now, which is brilliant news for fuel economy on a long South Island loop. I always recommend grabbing a hybrid like the Toyota Corolla to keep your petrol costs down when you head out of town. Pack light to fit your bags into the smaller categories, and plan to pick up your keys early in the morning to skip the lingering afternoon airport queues.