Types of 4x4 Rental Cars In Iceland

Rúnar Þór Sigurbjörnsson

(Updated: )
4 min read
Types of 4x4 Rental Cars In Iceland

A comprehensive comparison of the most common 4x4 rental cars in Iceland. Luggage space, ground clearance, cabin space and more.

It can get a bit daunting choosing the right 4x4 for your glorious Icelandic adventure. Will your luggage fit? Will the people in the back have enough leg space? Are you gonna be scraping the underside whenever you drive over rough terrain?

Here's a little summary of the most popular rental cars in Iceland today, to compare their specs and dimensions so that you may have an easier time picking the right 4x4 for you.

Quick Navigation

Suzuki Jimny

Dacia Duster

Suzuki Vitara

Hyundai Tucson

Toyota Land Cruiser

2019 Suzuki Jimny

Before the rise of the Dacia, the Jimny was found everywhere in Iceland. It was the perfect rental car as the price was as affordable as you could find, the ground clearance is actually pretty good and it just looks perfect for those photo ops. The Jimny is not really suitable for people traveling in more than pairs, though. While it does have back seats, the space back there is barely suited for children, and you'd be better off folding down the seats and adding more boot space since the trunk is a bit limited with the seats up.

Available Fuel Types: Petrol only.

Average Fuel Consumption: 6.8 L/100km / 34.6 MPG (Combined).

Available Transmissions: Is usually only available manual as a rental car.

Base Horsepower: 101.

Boot Space: 377 liters / 13.3 cu.ft. (with the rear seats folded).

Ground Clearance: 210 mm / 8.27 inches.

River Crossing: Not recommended.

Average Summer Price: 370 EUR per week.

2019 Dacia Duster

Undisputably the most popular of the Icelandic rental cars, the Dacia Duster can be seen everywhere throughout Iceland. It's even inspired a popular road game played by traveling locals; count the Dusters. The Duster is definitely the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to 4x4 rental cars. It's got enough space to seat at least 4 well-fed adults and a not-too-shabby trunk to keep those suitcases secure. Like the Jimny, it's a little raw, but the price is affordable and in the "you get what you pay for" category, the Duster is king.

Available Fuel Types: Petrol and diesel.

Average Fuel Consumption: 5.3 L/100km / 44 MPG (Combined).

Available Transmissions: Is usually only available manual as a rental car.

Base Horsepower: 115.

Boot Space: 445 liters / 15.7 cu.ft.

Ground Clearance: 210 mm / 8.27 inches.

River Crossing: Not recommended.

Average Summer Price: 387 EUR per week.

Suzuki Vitara

Slightly more expensive than the Dacia Duster, the Suzuki Vitara is for those who prefer a nicer interior, more gadgets, and a smoother drive. While the Vitara is definitely a nicer drive, it's pretty much a raised hatchback. The trunk space is limited, the horsepower is low and the ground clearance is a measly 180 mm, which means you won't be fording any rivers... or streams. If you don't mind driving a bare-basic car like the Duster or Jimny, then you'll find far better value there.

Available Fuel Types: Petrol.

Average Fuel Consumption: 7.6 L/100km / 31 MPG (Combined).

Available Transmissions: Manual and automatic.

Base Horsepower: 112-140.

Boot Space: 375 liters / 13 cu.ft.

Ground Clearance: 180 mm / 7 inches.

River Crossing: Not recommended.

Average Summer Price: 522 EUR per week.

2019 Hyundai Tucson

If the itinerary required nothing more than a cruise around the Icelandic ring road, then the Hyundai Tucson would be my first choice. It's spacious, comfortable, well equipped and just beautiful. It's a great road trip car, and it'll do fine on those gravelly back roads. But, I wouldn't recommend it for anything more than the easiest of F-roads. The ground clearance is quite low, so it's not exactly built for river fording or scaling rocky roads, but it's got about twice the boot space as the Vitara.

Available Fuel Types: Petrol and diesel.

Average Fuel Consumption: 9-10 L/100km / 23-26 MPG (Combined).

Available Transmissions: Automatic only.

Base Horsepower: 164.

Boot Space: 878 liters / 31 Cu.ft

Ground Clearance: 172 mm / 6.4 inches.

River Crossing: Not recommended.

Average Summer Price: 533 EUR per week.

2019 Toyota Land Cruiser

The king of road and country, the Land Cruiser is the ultimate road trip vehicle as it can take you anywhere. It's ideal for an Icelandic journey since you can take the beast on pretty much any F-road you may come across. It's big and can seat up to 7 people, although the 2 back seats are more suited to children at best and you would be sacrificing a lot of cargo space for those extra seats. If there's only five of you, you'll have the luxury of over 1200 liters of cargo space.

Available Fuel Types: Petrol and diesel.

Average Fuel Consumption: 16 L/100km / 15 MPG (Combined).

Available Transmissions: Automatic only.

Base Horsepower: 381.

Boot Space: 453 liters / 16 Cu.ft with all 7 seats raised. (1218 liters / 43 Cu.ft with 5 seats raised)

Ground Clearance: 229 mm / 9 inches.

River Crossing: Recommended.

Average Summer Price: 1,200 EUR per week.