Popular this month
Tesla Model 3 Performance
Best for couples and long driving days
Often booked for Christchurch to Queenstown trips
From NZ$230 per day
Check availability View vehicle details
New Zealand. One of the world's safest countries. Every road a masterpiece.
While much of the world feels uncertain, New Zealand sits quietly at the end of the earth — stable, beautiful, and exactly as spectacular as you imagined.
From NZ$230 per day · exact rate for your dates in the next step
A
Adam — Dream Drives
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Not sure which car suits your trip? Tell me your dates and group size and I'll point you straight to the right vehicle.
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🌏 NZ ranked top 10 safest globally · English speaking · International licences accepted · Right-hand drive
Why New Zealand, right now
Far from the noise.
Close to extraordinary.
While much of the world feels uncertain, the South Island sits at the end of the earth — quiet, uncrowded, and exactly as beautiful as you imagined. No political chaos. No fuel queues. Just open roads, alpine scenery, and a local team who knows every route.
- Peaceful & politically stable
- NZ borders fully open
- Uncrowded roads & wide open spaces
- EV options — skip the fuel stress entirely
Most booked for South Island trips
Travellers planning Christchurch to Queenstown and wider South Island loops often start with these three. Pick one and check availability, or compare the full fleet below.
Commonly chosen for the main South Island highway routes
Range Rover Sport (Diesel)
Top pick for alpine and scenic touring
From NZ$280 per day
Check availability View vehicle details
Check early for peak weekends
Mercedes-AMG GLB 35
Strong choice for groups and luggage
From NZ$250 per day
Check availability View vehicle detailsWhat kind of trip are you planning?
First time in New Zealand? The 7-day loop covers the best of what the South Island has to offer.
Why Dream Drives?
We're not a standard rental company. Here's the difference.
We set up our fleet and service for South Island road trips and multi-day touring, not inner-city short hires. If that is your trip, you are in the right place.
| Standard rental | Dream Drives |
|---|---|
| Basic vehicles | Curated premium vehicles |
| Peace of mind — Unknown company, unknown cars | 5.0 Google rating, local team, flexible cancellation |
| Generic experience | Memorable driving experience |
| Anonymous service | Christchurch-based local service |
| No guaranteed rating | Highly rated by travellers — 5.0 on Google |
Simple, transparent pricing
From NZ$230 per day across the fleet. No hidden fees, and no surprise charges at checkout. What you see for your dates is what you pay for the vehicle.
Christchurch airport pickup can be arranged on your booking. Full inclusions are confirmed when you select your vehicle.
Fuel prices in New Zealand vary by region. Electric vehicles eliminate the uncertainty entirely.
Real savings, real numbers
See what fuel actually costs on your trip
Adjust your trip below. We compare driving electric vs petrol across the South Island.
7 days
280 km/day
Tesla Model 3 (electric)
NZ$28
Typical petrol SUV
NZ$163
You save on fuel
NZ$135
Estimates based on ~15 kWh/100 km (EV), ~10 L/100 km (petrol), NZ electricity ~$0.30/kWh, petrol ~$2.80/L. Actual rates vary.
Our fleet
Hand-picked premium and performance vehicles for South Island road trips. Each car is chosen for the experience it delivers.
Popular South Island Drives
Imagine the journey, not just the car. Explore these iconic routes and plan the right vehicle for each.
Christchurch → Queenstown
Alpine passes, lakes, and one of New Zealand's most memorable drives.
Explore this route Christchurch → Lake TekapoBig skies, turquoise water, and an easy scenic escape from Christchurch.
Explore this route Christchurch → KaikōuraA coastal drive with ocean views, wildlife stops, and fresh sea air.
Explore this route 7-day itineraryChristchurch loop: Tekapo, Aoraki, Wanaka, Queenstown, Kaikōura — day by day.
Read the guideWhat our customers say
Rated 5.0 on Google
Featured first: long trips and guests who say hiring here was their best decision.
Family of five, two weeks around the South Island! We rented the Mercedes V Shuttle and it was honestly the perfect choice. It was super comfy for the long drives, really spacious (plenty of room for everyone and luggage), and surprisingly economical on fuel which made a big difference over two weeks of exploring. Adam was who we dealt with and his communication was top notch from start to finish - quick replies, clear instructions, and just genuinely lovely to work with. The whole process felt easy and stress-free (unlike the larger rental companies) and the vehicle was exactly what we needed for a family road trip. Highly recommend Dream Drives and we'd absolutely 100% book with them again!
We hired a performance model Tesla for 10 days and it was amazing to drive and immaculate. Booking, pickup/drop off was straightforward and easy. Lovely owners, super flexible and very responsive. Overall it barely cost much more than going through a big rental agency with some crappy little petrol car and we saved on fuel! Highly recommend and would absolutely rent through here again!
Absolutely amazing people to deal with they made everything so easy for us from transfers from the airport to the car Especially with 2 little kids From pick up to drop off was so easy Made our 4 day road trip amazing and comfortable Can't wait to do it again Will be back with dream drives
Had a wonderful time hiring out a Range Rover. The vehicle was very clean and ran beautifully. I was silly enough to curb one of the rims but Adam and Grace were great with communication and quickly found a solution. They were very respectful for such an annoying situation caused by me. 10/10 will be return customers when we are in the area next. Already eyeing up their collection of Suzuki Jimny's for our next adventure
So much fun driving the Tesla Model Y. Very affordable and awesome customer service. Highly recommend and will use the services in future again. Thank you Adam and Grace.
Good service and friendly staff. Was extremely happy with the car we hired. Definitely recommend Dream Drives!!
Including visitors from the US, UK, Europe, and Asia experiencing the South Island for the first time.
PLAN AHEAD
South Island drives book out weeks in advance.
International visitors travelling in peak season should lock in a vehicle early. Live availability below.
New Zealand is open and roads are in great shape. Booking early gives you the best choice of vehicle for alpine passes, long touring days, and luggage-heavy trips.
No payment now · Live availability · Flexible cancellation
New Zealand is ready. Is your itinerary?
About 30 seconds to enter your dates and see instant pricing. Then choose the car that fits your trip, or ask us for a recommendation.