Panel van camper
Kiwi Traveller 2 ST
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Rental company field guide
Kiwi Campers review
Kiwi Campers brings a budget approach to New Zealand camper hire, with a notably wide spread of vehicle ages and levels of comfort.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Kiwi Campers began in New Zealand in 2005 with five vehicles. It has grown into an operator serving both main islands, hiring out its own fleet through direct bookings and travel booking services. It also sells vehicles from the fleet.
Affordability runs through the range, although the business has expanded beyond basic camper hire. Older conversions remain alongside more recent vehicles with purpose-built living facilities.
Our verdict
Editorial review
Kiwi is most convincing when a particular vehicle category meets a clear budget and comfort requirement. The brand alone tells you relatively little about the rental you are choosing: a satisfactory offer depends on the age, layout and equipment of that category, as well as the final hire cost. We would assess the individual proposition closely before treating a low headline price as good value.
The service record makes this a more qualified recommendation. The customer evidence gives us less confidence in a consistently smooth rental experience. Kiwi suits a traveller who accepts that trade-off; it is a weaker fit when dependable delivery and a predictable standard of accommodation matter more than the potential saving.
Good points
- A toilet need not mean a large motorhome.Several high-top campers have a fixed toilet without the bulk of a coachbuilt motorhome. This gives travellers who can use campsite showers a useful middle ground between a basic sleeper and a larger vehicle with a full bathroom.
- Basic trip equipment comes with the hire.The standard rate includes unlimited kilometres, bedding, towels and kitchenware. That takes care of much of the equipment needed to start the trip, although diesel road-use charges remain separate.
Things to consider
- Vehicle condition is a recurring concern.Customer accounts across Google, Trustpilot and Rankers describe problems with fridges, hot water, toilets and leaks, alongside breakdowns and replacement vehicles. These reports make the condition of the living equipment a material part of the choice. They do not establish a failure rate for any category or show that every vehicle has the same problems.
- Disruption can affect the start of the trip.Several customer accounts describe collection delays, late cancellations or vehicles that did not match expectations. Some also record refunds, waived charges or helpful staff. Those resolutions matter, but they do not recover the time lost from a holiday or make a tightly timed onward connection easier.
- Extra cover still leaves substantial exclusions.Kiwi's higher protection options reduce the stated excess but exclude recovery of a damaged vehicle and retain significant conditions around damage and vehicle use. A zero-excess option is therefore a narrower benefit than its name might initially suggest.
Vehicle categories
Kiwi Campers fleet
Panel van camper
Kiwi Deluxe Euro 2 ST
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Panel van camper
Kiwi Deluxe 2/3 ST
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Panel van camper
Kiwi Euro 2 ST
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual or automatic
Panel van camper
Kiwi Hi 4
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Low-profile motorhome
Kiwi Cruise 4 Berth
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Low-profile motorhome
Kiwi Ranger 4 Berth
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Panel van camper
Kiwi Hi 5
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Panel van camper
Kiwi Dart 2 Berth
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Manual
Overcab motorhome
Kiwi 6 Berth
Overcab motorhome
- Seats
- 6
- Sleeps
- 6
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Overcab motorhome
Kiwi 7 Berth
Overcab motorhome
- Seats
- 7
- Sleeps
- 7
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Panel van camper
Kiwi 2
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Manual
Panel van camper
The Original 3
High-top campervan
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Manual
Mini camper
Original Black Sheep
Sleepervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Mini camper
Original Sleeper
Sleepervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Kiwi's fleet ranges from low-roof sleepers to high-top campervans and four- to seven-berth motorhomes. Age is an unusually important distinction within that range. The Traveller 2 ST uses 2024/2025 Toyota Hiace vehicles; Deluxe Euro 2 ST is based on a 2019 VW Crafter, while Deluxe 2/3 ST uses 2017/2018 LDVs. Cruise and Ranger are 2016 Fiats. Much of the remaining fleet comes from earlier generations, including several categories from the 2000s. These category years describe the offer, rather than guaranteeing the age of the vehicle allocated to a booking.
Two-person campers with a full bathroom
Traveller 2 ST combines a toilet and shower with diesel heating, solar, an inverter and an induction hob. It is the most recent vehicle option in the range. Its published bed length is 1.80 m, which deserves attention if either traveller is tall. Solar and an inverter do not, by themselves, establish how long the cooking equipment can run away from a powered pitch.
Deluxe Euro 2 ST has a gas hob, a 110-litre fridge and a microwave, while Deluxe 2/3 ST adds a child place and diesel heating. The latter's sleeping layout needs to be agreed for the child; three berths should not be read as three separate beds. Euro 2 ST offers another full-bathroom option in an older generation, with both manual and automatic vehicles.
High-tops and simple sleepers
Hi 4 and Hi 5 use beds arranged on two levels to accommodate more people in a campervan body. Hi 5's family capacity relies on shared sleeping space for two adults and three children. Dart 2, Kiwi 2 and The Original 3 offer other compact layouts with an internal toilet but no shower. Kiwi 2 and The Original 3 are petrol-powered, unlike most of the larger campers.
Original Black Sheep and Original Sleeper are lower vehicles with a bed, a 20-litre fridge and a portable hob. The Sleeper also has a sink. Their low interiors do not provide standing room, and neither category comes with a self-contained certification claim. They are the simplest accommodation choices in the range, best understood as a place to sleep and prepare basic meals while using campsite facilities.
Larger vehicles and separate sleeping areas
Cruise 4 Berth has a rear island bed and a front drop-down bed, with a door separating the rear bedroom and bathroom area from the rest of the vehicle. Ranger 4 Berth uses rear twin beds that can be converted, plus a front drop-down bed. Both are approximately 7.4 metres long and have a full bathroom and an oven/grill, so their layouts offer a different level of living space from the Hiace-based campers.
The automatic 6 Berth and 7 Berth are older overcab motorhomes with bathrooms. The 6 Berth has three double beds, including one above the cab.
Heating and time away from a powered pitch
Traveller, Deluxe 2/3 ST and the 6 Berth and 7 Berth have diesel heating; Cruise has gas heating. Kiwi 2 and The Original 3 use electric heaters that need a mains connection. Equipment differs substantially between generations, so a heater, solar panel or microwave in one category should not be assumed in another. Regular mains charging remains part of using many of these vehicles, with no single off-grid duration applying across the fleet.
Locations
Kiwi Campers pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
New Zealand
-
Auckland Unit 8, 197 Montgomerie Road, Airport Oaks, Auckland 2022
-
Christchurch 2 Export Avenue, Harewood, Christchurch 8051
Before booking
Practical facts
The policies, inclusions and services that are specific to a Kiwi Campers rental.
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Driver eligibility | Drivers need a full, valid driving licence. The general minimum age is 18, with a minimum of 24 for the contractual four-, six- and seven-berth groups. Hi 5 eligibility needs to be agreed for the booking. A licence that is not in English must be accompanied by an approved translation or an International Driving Permit, together with the original licence. |
| Rental length | Both collection and return dates count as full hire days. Minimum hire periods depend on the vehicle group, season and offer and are set when the booking is quoted. |
| Vehicle allocation | Kiwi hires by category and may supply an alternative vehicle. The make, model and an automatic transmission are not guaranteed by the general rental terms. An essential requirement, such as driving only an automatic, needs written acceptance for the booking. |
| Standard inclusions | Unlimited kilometres, GST, bedding, towels and kitchenware are included in the standard rate. The kitchen pack follows the vehicle's facilities; the low-roof sleepers do not have the same mains-powered equipment as the larger campers. |
| Diesel road-use charges | Unlimited kilometres do not include Kiwi's diesel Road User Charges. Indicative New Zealand charges are NZ$76 per 1,000 km for Deluxe Euro 2 ST, Deluxe 2/3 ST, Dart and Hi 5, and NZ$82 per 1,000 km for Euro 2 ST, Ranger, Cruise, 6 Berth and 7 Berth. Traveller and Hi 4 need their own quoted rate. The petrol-powered Kiwi 2, The Original 3, Black Sheep and Sleeper do not incur a diesel charge. |
| One-way hire | Auckland–Christchurch and Christchurch–Auckland hires are offered subject to availability. Indicative charges in New Zealand are NZ$250 southbound and NZ$150 northbound for hires starting from October to March; from April to September they are NZ$100 southbound and NZ$0 northbound. The inter-island ferry is separate. |
| Ferry bookings | Kiwi can help arrange Bluebridge travel. A ferry request during booking is not an issued ticket: the crossing needs its own confirmation covering the passengers and vehicle. |
| Airport transfers | The free shuttle operates in the high season, October–April, from 10:00 to 15:00, departing hourly on collection and return days. It serves the airports and eligible airport hotels. Christchurch pickup is outside Door 2. In Auckland it uses the International Transport Pickup Zone, reached from Door 8; it does not collect from the domestic terminal. Outside the operating season or hours, arrange your own transfer unless Kiwi agrees otherwise. Vehicle handover takes place at the depot. |
| Collection and return times | From October to April, ordinary office hours are 08:30–17:00, with collection normally ending at 16:00; public-holiday hours are 10:00–15:00. From May to September, weekday hours are 08:30–16:30, with collection normally ending at 15:00. Winter weekends and public holidays have a 10:00–15:00 window, although the depot may close on those days. Both depots close on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday. Use the collection and return appointments agreed for your booking. |
| Reservation payment | Kiwi's indicative direct-booking deposit is the greater of 10% or NZ$300, with the balance due 28 days before collection. An agent's deposit terms can differ. Kiwi does not accept cash. |
| Damage guarantee | Paying for a hire with a debit card does not make that card acceptable for the damage guarantee. Kiwi requires an accepted Visa or Mastercard credit card for that purpose; any alternative arrangement needs prior agreement. The credit-card procedure takes card details and authority rather than automatically charging the stated guarantee at collection. |
| Protection options | The excess and paid reduction options depend on the contractual vehicle group. As an indicative New Zealand example, Deluxe Euro 2 ST and Deluxe 2/3 ST have a stated Bronze excess of NZ$5,000; Silver costs NZ$25 per day and reduces it to NZ$2,000, while Gold costs NZ$35 per day and reduces it to NZ$1,000. Gold includes an outdoor table and a chair per traveller, plus a compatible child seat or booster on request. Options are charged for a maximum of 50 days. |
| Protection exclusions | A reduced or zero excess does not remove all liability. Kiwi's terms exclude recovery of a damaged vehicle and retain exclusions or conditions for roof and certain underbody damage, single-vehicle rollovers, prohibited roads, incorrect fuel and misuse. Accidents are treated separately, and cover may need to be purchased again after a claim. |
| Cancellation | The reservation deposit is normally non-refundable. The ordinary schedule charges 20% for cancellation 20–28 days before collection, 60% at 10–19 days and 100% at 0–9 days or for a no-show. Late collection or an early return does not bring a promised refund for the unused days. |
| Temporary cancellation credit | For eligible disruption connected with the Iran conflict, Kiwi offers conversion of the non-refundable deposit into travel credit, subject to evidence and acceptance. The credit lasts 12 months from the original hire start date and is non-transferable. It is not a cash refund or a waiver of all cancellation charges; the new booking uses the prices and availability then offered. The amendment is temporary and has no fixed end date. |
| Child restraints | Child seats, infant capsules and boosters must match the vehicle's approved attachment positions and be requested in advance. Cruise and Ranger each advertise two child-restraint positions in total; The Original 3 advertises one anchor point. Those counts do not establish compatibility with every restraint. |
| Outdoor furniture | Outdoor tables and chairs are optional unless included with the selected protection package. |
| Self-contained vehicles | Thirteen categories are offered as self-contained; Original Black Sheep and Original Sleeper are outside that offer. The allocated vehicle needs a valid certificate covering the number of occupants. A fixed toilet does not imply a shower, and certification does not permit overnight parking everywhere. |
| Road restrictions | Kiwi prohibits Ninety Mile Beach, roads north of Colville, Tapu–Coroglen, Skippers Canyon and Ball Hutt, as well as beaches, unformed roads and continuous gravel-road use. Limited exceptions cover recognised campsite access and roadworks. Ski-area access roads are prohibited from 1 June to 31 October. |
| Pets and assistance dogs | Ordinary pets are not allowed. Assistance dogs require prior permission. |
| Smoking | Smoking is prohibited inside the vehicle. |
| Breakdown assistance | NZRA assistance is available 24 hours a day. Access to the service does not make every call-out free: misuse, lost keys, incorrect fuel and accident-related recovery can result in charges. Report faults to Kiwi promptly so that a response can be arranged during the hire. |
| Returning the vehicle | Return it with fuel at the recorded collection level, the gas refilled, toilet cassette and waste-water tank emptied, and the interior, kitchenware and accessories clean. Keep the original gas bottle and the refill receipt. Changing the return depot or extending the hire needs Kiwi's approval. |
Quick answers
Kiwi Campers FAQ
Can I use separate excess insurance with Kiwi Campers?
An external policy may reimburse an eligible charge after you have paid Kiwi. It does not automatically reduce the guarantee or excess Kiwi requires. Kiwi's indicative New Zealand charge for preparing an external-insurance claim is NZ$250, checked in September 2026; include that cost when comparing protection options.
What happens if the fridge or hot water stops working?
Contact Kiwi as soon as the problem occurs. Its rental terms distinguish faults in living equipment from the mechanical breakdowns used to assess downtime refunds. A failed fridge or water heater therefore does not automatically qualify for the same remedy as a vehicle that cannot be driven; a repair or other response needs to be arranged for the particular fault.
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