No, you do not need a 4-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle to reach the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (VIS), which is located at the 9,200-foot (2,800 m) level. The road from the base of the mountain to the Visitor Center is fully paved, albeit very steep and winding, and can be easily navigated by any standard rental car, including small compacts. However, if you intend to continue past the Visitor Center to the summit (13,803 feet), a true 4WD vehicle with a "low range" gear is absolutely mandatory. The road above the Visitor Center is unpaved, gravelly, and extremely steep, and the descent is dangerous for standard brakes, which can overheat and fail; the 4WD "low" allows for engine braking. Most rental car companies explicitly prohibit their non-4WD vehicles from going past the Visitor Center. Furthermore, there is a ranger checkpoint at the Visitor Center that will physically inspect your vehicle and deny you access to the summit if you are not in a 4WD. For most tourists, the Visitor Center offers excellent stargazing and acclimatization, making it a perfectly accessible and safe destination for a standard 2WD rental car.