What happened to rental cars on Kauai?

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted travel to the state of Hawaii, there was no longer a demand for rental cars. As a result, car rental companies moved a large portion of their fleet off to the mainland and also sold some of their vehicles. It is estimated that Kauai only has 60% of their pre-COVID rental fleet.



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The nation's largest car rental corporations sold too many cars in 2020 to cushion the financial blows amid widespread COVID-19 travel restrictions. Now they can't buy enough replacements principally due to car production delays.

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A rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the best way to get around the island, with most destinations being no more than a couple of hours away. Visit one of our convenient neighborhood car rental locations in Kauai or rent a car at Lihue Airport (LIH).

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With much of the Aloha State easing its travel restrictions, visitor numbers — and rental car prices — are skyrocketing. During the pandemic, rental car companies were forced to sell vehicles and thin out their fleets when a lack of visitors left them with nowhere to park all of the unused cars.

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Having a car at your fingertips on Kauai makes all the difference in your island experience. Kaui has one major thoroughfare — the Kuhio Highway — and it takes just under 3 hours to travel from the North Shore's Haena to the West Side's Polihale.

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Taxis and ride share options from the airport are the most direct options for those without a rental car, but they can often be expensive. Don't forget that there are shared airport shuttles on Kaua?i that can get you from the airport to your hotel for a reasonable price.

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As of November, the rental car crisis has since calmed down. The supply of new cars is growing, but it's not what it was prior to the pandemic, Jerry Agrusa, a professor for the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Travel Industry Management, told USA TODAY.

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Renting a car is an important part of the budget for a trip to Hawaii. The Covid-19 crisis has caused prices to rise dramatically in 2021 and 2022, although there has been a significant drop in prices since the summer of 2022, which is expected to continue in 2023 to reach pre-Covid prices again.

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With taxi options limited and city buses only covering a small portion of the island, a rental car is the best way to see all parts of the island at your own pace. Many customers opt for a Jeep, convertible or SUV while visiting Kauai.

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The Kaua?i Bus provides transportation options to get to and around Kapa?a. Skip the Kapa?a Crawl traffic by walking through town or renting a bike and riding along the Kaua?i Path (Ke Ala Hele Makalae). Click here for more information on other transportation options.

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Eighty percent of Kauai is inaccessible by car, but that doesn't mean you can't explore further by Helicopter, ATV, horseback or by foot along miles of hiking trails Kauai has to offer. Kauai is an outdoor paradise waiting to be discovered. Need help planning? Kauai.com offers a free concierge service to help plan.

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For most islands you can also get around by shuttle, taxi, ride-sharing app such as Uber or Lyft, or public transportation.

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1) People are constantly moving on and off the island. Some of the people abandoning their cars are leaving the island on short notice and are unable to sell it or unwilling to pay the disposal fee at the dump. 2) Hawaii vehicle taxes are absurdly high at $200-$500 per year based on weight.

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Most car rental agencies vary their prices and rates during the week are usually higher. Book during the weekend if you want a cheaper car rental rate.

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On average a rental car in Hawaii costs $350 per week ($50 per day).

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Rental car prices have been surging because demand is high and supply is low, both due to the coronavirus crisis and the chip shortage. To mitigate it, I should book as soon as I'm even *thinking* about traveling somewhere. I should also avoid certain locations (especially those near nature destinations).

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Oahu is the best Hawaiian Island to visit without a rental car. Traveling around the island is cost-effective with a mix of Ubers or taxis, guided tours, and staying in Waikiki.

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That is because the shortage of semiconductor chips that has held up auto manufacturing persists, leaving rental car companies to operate with lower inventory after they sold off chunks of their fleets in the early days of the pandemic. Building that stock back up has been more difficult than expected.

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In short, the answer to whether you need a rental car in Kauai is yes! The areas of population on the island are geographically distant from each other, so unless you're planning on staying in the same place for your entire vacation, you'll need a car to travel from town to town.

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