State Highway 1 / The Desert Road

With a few exceptions we're big fans of State Highway 1. It's a good drive with stunning scenery.

One of our favourite stretches is through the Tongariro National Park, along the "Desert Road": you're at an altitude where not many plants grow. It's largely barren and desert-like. There are snow capped mountains to the west and stunning scenery.

This road can sometimes be closed in winter.

W: If you're heading north, top up with fuel in Waiouru and stretch your legs before continuing on. I recommend your next stop is Taupō, around the eastern side of the lake.

EV

Rent our Tesla Model 3

Our EVs are a little bit different: they come with free charging on Tesla Superchargers and the ChargeNet network, up to $45/day. All our Tesla Model 3 are the 2019 Standard Range Plus, single motor models.

Expect around 300 km range on the open road, 400 km range around town.

Diesel

Touring

Station Wagon/Estate

Rent our Mercedes-Benz C220d

This is a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200d estate and it's one of our favourite vehicles: it's exceptionally comfortable and has plenty of room for luggage and passengers. It's not too big around town, and not too small for longer journeys. It's our go-to vehicle for long-distance adventures.

This vehicle is a diesel and averages around 5L/100km, which is very fuel-efficient and inexpensive to operate. It is packed with safety features, includes ISOFIX mounting points for children's car seats, and a safety net for keeping luggage in the boot/trunk.

This vehicle is reasonably low to the ground and is not suitable for unsealed roads.

This particular vehicle has been smoked-in. There is a faint smell of cigarettes that we have been unable to completely remove, not noticeable while the aircon is running. The price reflects this.

Petrol

Touring

Hatch

Rent our Mercedes-Benz GLA180

We're a big fan of Mercedes-Benz: quiet, comfortable, safe, and great for long distances. The GLA180 hatch is smaller than our C220d wagon/estate, but still large enough to be comfortable on the open road.

This car is perfect for travelling around New Zealand where you need a car that's convenient in the city and comfortable on the open road.

This vehicle is a diesel and averages around 6.5 L/100 km, which is fuel-efficient and relatively inexpensive to run. It is packed with safety features, includes ISOFIX mounting points for children's car seats.

This vehicle is suitable for well-maintained unsealed roads.