See how travellers and locals rate their experience comparing offers on 4Drive NZ before booking directly with the supplier.
4Drive NZ is an independent comparison service, not a rental company. We do not own a fleet or run pickup counters ourselves - we simply pull live rates and conditions from more than 30 trusted Kiwi and international suppliers, lay them side by side, and let you pick the offer that fits your trip. The reviews below are from travellers and Kiwi locals who used our comparison engine to shortlist a deal, then completed their booking directly with the supplier. Average rating across recent feedback: 4.7 out of 5 from over 1,200 responses.
Most comments focus on three things: how easy it is to compare prices and excess/CDW conditions side by side, how honest the supplier ratings turned out to be once the car was actually collected, and how smooth the Cook Strait ferry handover was when a supplier arranged a free swap between a Wellington drop-off and a Picton pick-up.
"Compared five suppliers for a weekend in Rotorua in about three minutes. Picked the one with the best rating and the price matched exactly what I paid at the counter."
"First time driving on the left and I was nervous, but the comparison made it easy to filter for automatics with a low excess. Supplier in Christchurch was ready when we landed."
"We needed the Wellington to Picton ferry swap and I was worried it would be complicated. The supplier we booked through handled the handover for free, exactly as described on the offer page."
"Cheapest quote wasn't always the best rated one, so I liked seeing the supplier score next to the price. Went with a 4.8-star Kiwi company instead of the lowest price and had zero issues."
"Used it for a domestic weekend trip to Napier. Locals think comparison sites are only for tourists but the off-peak prices shown were genuinely lower than going direct."
"Booked an SUV for the gravel roads near Glenorchy. Comparison clearly flagged which suppliers exclude gravel from their cover, saved me from a bad surprise."
"Free cancellation on the offer I picked meant I could lock in a Queenstown rental months ahead of our ski trip and still change dates later without a fee."
"Landed at Auckland Airport jetlagged and just wanted something simple. The comparison sorted by rating and price so I didn't have to research ten different companies myself."
"Needed a van for a family trip round the Catlins. Comparing van options across suppliers side by side saved a good chunk versus the first quote I found."
"Honest about the one-lane bridges and give-way rules in the driving tips section too, not just a booking tool. Felt like it was written by people who actually drive here."
"Compared Christchurch Airport pickup against a downtown depot. Ended up saving twenty minutes and a shuttle wait by picking up in town instead."
"As a local I mostly rent when my own car is in for a service. Quick to compare a cheap economy option for a few days without digging through ten separate sites."
"Loved that the excess and CDW terms were shown per offer instead of buried in fine print. Made it easy to compare real cost, not just the daily rate."
"Went with a smaller Kiwi supplier with a near-perfect rating instead of a big international name. Car was newer and the pickup at Queenstown was quick."
"Booked an AWD for a ski season trip to Wanaka. The comparison flagged which suppliers include snow chains, which mattered a lot for our route over the Crown Range."
"Straightforward process: searched Wellington Airport, compared six offers, booked directly with the supplier's own confirmation page. No surprises at pickup."
"Used it to sort a one-way rental from Christchurch to Picton for a family visit. Clear about which suppliers allow one-way trips and what the fee looks like."
"Age 22 and worried about young driver fees. Comparison let me filter and see which suppliers had the lowest surcharge for my age bracket before committing."
"Compact SUV for Rotorua and Taupo worked out cheaper than I expected in the shoulder season. Prices shown matched what I was charged."
"Local renting for a Martinborough wine trip. Quick comparison, picked a supplier with instant confirmation, done in under ten minutes."
"Appreciated the note about fuel stops on the West Coast being sparse - genuinely useful info, not just a sales pitch for a car."
"Compared four suppliers for Dunedin pickup, went with the highest rated one even though it wasn't the absolute cheapest. Worth it, smooth handover."
"Ferry logistics explained clearly before we even searched. Knew exactly what to expect dropping the car in Wellington and picking up a new one in Picton."
"Full-size car for a group of four touring the South Island. Comparison made it obvious which suppliers had the better boot space listed against price."
"Used it for a Napier weekend, local rate came in lower than expected outside peak season. Straightforward and no pushy upsells."
"Nervous about driving on the left with a manual, so I filtered for automatics only. Comparison made that one click, saved a lot of scrolling."
"Booked through a supplier rated 4.9 for a Queenstown to Milford Sound trip. Car was spotless and pickup at the airport took ten minutes."
"Compared prices for peak December dates weeks in advance like the site suggested. Good call, rates crept up noticeably closer to the date."
"Local booking a van for a family trip up to the Bay of Islands. Comparison of van options across suppliers made it simple to fit our budget."
"Straight answer on gravel road exclusions when I asked about Skippers Canyon. Better to know upfront than find out at the counter."
"Free cancellation meant I could book early for Christmas travel and still adjust our itinerary. Ended up changing pickup city twice without any fee."
Both. Reviewers comment on how easy it was to compare offers on our site, and separately on the experience with the supplier they eventually booked with - pickup, car condition and how accurate the listed price and conditions turned out to be.
No. We are an independent comparison engine. Every booking is a contract between you and the supplier you choose; we simply show you live prices, ratings and conditions side by side.
It reflects recent feedback from travellers and locals who used the comparison engine to find and book a supplier, covering ease of comparison, accuracy of listed prices, and overall satisfaction with the chosen supplier.
Yes - reach out through our contact page after your trip and we will consider your feedback for future updates to this page.
Often. Several reviewers specifically mention how clearly the ferry handover process (dropping a car in Wellington and collecting a new one in Picton) was explained before they booked.