For visitors to Kauai, a rental car is the best way to see the beautiful island, from Waimea Canyon on one end to Ke’e Beach on the other end and everything in between. There are so many things to see and do on Kauai and they are spread out over the entire island.
A main highway connects most of the island. From the airport, a trip on the main road heads either towards Poipu, Hanapepe, and Waimea, or north towards Kapaa, Princeville, Hanalei, and beyond. Renting a vehicle on Kauai is easy and most all rentals take place at the Lihue Airport. When you step out of the baggage claim area in the airport you will see the shuttles to the various rental companies which are actually right around the corner.
Popular car rentals on Kauai include Jeeps and convertibles. Be sure to note your license plate as it’s common to get back to a parking lot and find several identical vehicles (all rentals like yours). We recommend Jeeps and other four-wheel drive vehicles. We’ve seen more than a few small cars mightily struggling in muddy parking lots at trailheads and beaches.
Car Rental Recommendations
Discount Hawaii Car Rental
There are several options to save money on your Kauai car rental and one of the best ones is Discount Hawaii Car Rental. Discount Hawaii Car Rental is a popular option that we always use, and they really do save you money. We have rented everything from Jeeps, Mini-Vans, and midsize SUVs with all the major car rental companies and Discount Hawaii Car Rental has always gotten us the best price with them. Read our Discount Hawaii Car Rental review to learn more.
It’s recommended that you make your car rental reservation before your trip to Kauai, as there have been reported shortages during peak seasons. Rental car companies at the Lihue Airport include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Payless, and Thrifty car rentals and Discount Hawaii Car Rental seems to have a partnership with most of them so they often find you the best deals with the lowest prices.
Travel booking sites such as Kayak often operate the same way and Costco members can often find nice rental car deals at the major car rental companies. But ultimately, Discount Hawaii Car Rental is the easiest way to compare rentals and get the best prices.
Enterprise Car Rental
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has mutliple locations in Kauai in Lihue Airport and in the Lihue Kuhio Highway. They offer a good mix of cars depending on what you're looking for, from Jeeps to mini-vans, and more. It's a nationwide brand that has a pretty good reputation here in Kauai. It offers similar rates as other nationwide brands and similar policies in terms of insurance and requirements for drivers. We always recommend drivers to take photos before you take the car out of the premises so you have a reference of what was and wasn't there before you return it.
Turo
Turo is a relatively new service, sort of like Airbnb, where you rent cars from locals. One of the drawbacks of Turo is that you may not have the extensive support provided by traditional car rental companies in the event of a vehicle breakdown. Plus, the car rental prices at Turo don’t seem to be much cheaper than the regular car rental companies. However, you'll find wide variety of cars from Teslas to Audis and Camaros. This allows you to customize the budget to you're preferences somewhat but the prices are still pretty high for not having the same convenience and customer service as a local car rental company.
Should You Rent A Car In Kauai?
In short answer, yes! A car makes it very easy to get around Kauai, especially for getting to one part of the island like if you're staying in Poipu in the South Shore, to areas far away in the North like Kilauea. If you're visiting for a week or less, a car can help you reach different areas much easier. While Ubers may be cheaper on a day to day, the costs can add up.
But there are important things to note. Driving on Kauai is a little different than driving in the states and elsewhere. Kauai drivers are generally very courteous, reflecting the island’s relaxed lifestyle. With that said, it’s easy to speed in outlying areas on the main highway. Watch for vehicles pulling onto the main highway as this has been a source of a number of Kauai traffic accidents.
Also note that rental car companies generally have a “no off road” clause in the fine print. If you find yourself stuck on a dirt road, for example the dirt road to Polihale Beach, you will want to call a wrecker instead of the rental company.
The entire island of Kauai is an attraction and the best way to experience it is with the top pulled down or the windows rolled down. But beware with a convertible. Showers can pop up at a moment’s notice anywhere on Kauai. We’ve seen more than a few tourists caught in a rain shower furiously trying to put the top back on the vehicle in driving rain.
One option we don’t recommend is Hertz. This is the one rental car company in Lihue we do not recommend. We reserved a Toyota 4Runner (or similar vehicle) from Hertz for extended family visiting the island. We received a crossover Dodge Journey (compact SUV) instead. We addressed the issue with Hertz Lihue representatives at the time of pickup and were told the Journey was similar and in the same class as the 4Runner and they could not help us further. A Dodge Journey is described by Dodge as a crossover compact SUV starting at around $21000. A Toyota 4Runner is a full-size SUV starting at around $34,000.