Lava Car Rental Iceland Our Review + Discount Code

Renting a car is usually the part of an Iceland trip where the surprises show up. A deposit held on your card, insurance you assumed was included, a young driver fee nobody mentioned.

Lava Car Rental is one of the local companies that keeps this part simple, and we’ve partnered with them so you can save 7% with the promo code EPICICELAND on top of any deal they’re already running.

They’re a family-owned Icelandic company that’s been renting cars since 2016, based five minutes from Keflavik Airport. In this review: why we rate them, their cars, the discount code, and what renters say.

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Why Lava Car Rental

There are dozens of rental companies in Iceland, and plenty are cheap for a reason. Not Lava’s case. Here’s what makes Lava worth a look.

Family-owned and local

Lava is a local Icelandic business, family-owned since 2016. They started with 30 cars and now run a fleet of more than 250.

That local angle matters. The staff live here, drive these roads, and can tell you which route makes sense for your dates, rather than a global chain reading off a script.

Everything included, no hidden fees

Every booking with Lava Car Rental comes with the insurance most people expect to pay extra for: collision (CDW), super collision (SCDW), theft protection, gravel protection, and third-party liability. You also get unlimited mileage and free pickup from Keflavik Airport.

There’s no deposit held on your card during the rental, just a card imprint as a guarantee. Fuel discounts are included, and from November to mid-April every car comes on studded winter tires at no extra cost.

The minimum age is 20 with no young driver fee, and debit cards work if you add the Full Protection package. If you’re weighing up what cover you need, our Iceland car rental insurance guide walks through it.

Free airport shuttle and quick pickup

Lava’s office is a 5-minute drive from Keflavik Airport. Their free shuttle meets you just outside the arrivals hall and drops you at the office, then takes you back when you return the car.

Renters mention again and again how fast the handover is. Land, hop on the shuttle, sign, drive. If you arrive at an odd hour, the self-service option lets you pick up and drop off 24/7, as long as you’ve done the online check-in and taken Full Protection.

Awards and ratings

Lava was named Iceland’s Leading Car Rental Company at the World Travel Awards. They also won Rentalcars.com’s Customer’s Favourite.

The ratings back this up: 4.5/5 on Trustpilot from over 3,400 reviews, and 4.6/5 on Google from more than 4,000.

Lava Car Rental Fleet

Lava runs five car categories, so the right pick comes down to your season and route. Our guide on how to choose the best car for Iceland breaks it down by trip type, and you can browse Lava’s full fleet for live availability.

Category	Example models	Drive	Seats	Best for
Economy	Dacia Stepway, Dacia Bigster	2WD	up to 5	Ring Road, Golden Circle and South Coast in summer
4×4 & SUV	Dacia Duster, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Land Cruiser	4WD	2 to 7	F-roads, Highlands, winter and remote routes
Campervan	Camper-converted vans with sleeping and cooking gear	2WD / 4WD	2 to 5	Road trips where you sleep in the car
Electric	Tesla Model Y and other EVs	2WD / 4WD	up to 5	Lower-emission Ring Road trips
Luxury	Premium SUVs	4WD	up to 7	Comfort-first travel

One note for the adventurous crowd. Lava’s 4x4s are fine on F-roads and Highland routes like Landmannalaugar, where a 4×4 is legally required anyway. But river crossings are not permitted or insured, by Lava or any typical Icelandic rental company (except the two), so a real ford is at your own risk and needs a specialist super jeep instead. Check the Icelandic Road Administration and Safetravel before any Highland day, and see our list of Iceland’s F-roads to plan which ones your car can handle.

Lava Car Rental Discount Code

Our Lava Car Rental discount code is EPICICELAND, and it gives you 7% off your rental. We arranged this code with Lava for our readers, and the best part is that it stacks on top of any other deal Lava is already running.

So if there’s a seasonal offer live, our promo code comes off on top of it. No minimum rental length, no catch, and the coupon code works on every category, from a small economy car to a Land Cruiser.

For more codes across Icelandic rentals, see our Iceland car rental discount codes page.

How to Use the Lava Car Rental Discount Code

1. Go to the Lava Car Rental website and choose your dates and car.
2. Find the coupon code field on the booking form (it’s right there on the search box).
3. Type EPICICELAND into the coupon code box.
4. The 7% comes off your total, on top of any active discount.
5. Finish your booking and complete the online check-in before you fly.

That’s it. The promo code isn’t tied to a season, so it works whether you book a summer camper or a winter 4×4.

Lava Car Rental Reviews

Lava has a great reputation across the review platforms, and they’re also listed on NorthBound if you want a second opinion. You can read the raw feedback on Trustpilot.

What comes up most in the positive reviews: clear communication before pickup, a fast airport shuttle, clean cars, and no surprise charges at the desk. Several renters mention the team going out of their way to help, including one who couldn’t return the car for medical reasons and got a generous solution instead of a penalty.

The critical reviews are rarer, usually about the return inspection taking a little time or confusion over self-service pickup for people who skipped the online check-in. Both are easy to avoid if you read the steps before you travel.

Our Experience with Lava Car

Our booking with Lava has always been simple and the pre-trip emails clear, so you know where the shuttle meets you. Pickup is quick: the car’s usually ready, the paperwork is short, and there’s no upselling routine at the desk. The cars are recent and clean, and in winter they come on studded tires that make a real difference on the ice.

Two heads-ups, just that you know. They inspect the car properly on return, so leave a buffer before your flight instead of cutting it fine. And the minimum charge is 48 hours even if you keep the car for one day, so a quick one-day rental isn’t the best value here.

Would we book Lava again? Yes, especially for a Ring Road trip or a winter 4×4. You can check current rates with Lava Car Rental, and for what to do with the car, our 12-day Iceland road trip.

Lava Car Rental FAQ

What is the Lava Car Rental discount code?

The Lava Car Rental discount code is EPICICELAND, which gives you 7% off your rental. It stacks on top of any other deal Lava is running, and it works on every car category.

How do I use the Lava Car Rental promo code?

Enter EPICICELAND in the coupon code field on the booking form at lavacarrental.is, then choose your car and dates. The 7% is applied to your total before you pay. The promo code works year-round.

What is the minimum age to rent a car with Lava Car Rental?

The minimum age is 20 years old, and Lava charges no young driver fee. You get access to the full fleet at 20, unlike companies that restrict certain cars until 23.

What’s included in the rental price?

Every rental includes CDW, super CDW, third-party liability, theft protection, gravel protection, unlimited mileage, free Keflavik Airport pickup, and fuel discounts. There’s no deposit held during the rental.

Can I drive on F-roads and in the Highlands with Lava?

Yes, with a 4×4. A 4×4 is legally required for Iceland’s F-roads and Highland routes like Landmannalaugar. Economy 2WD cars are not allowed there. River crossings are not permitted or insured by any typical Icelandic rental company, including Lava.

Does Lava Car Rental offer an airport shuttle?

Yes, a free shuttle. It meets you outside the Keflavik Airport arrivals hall and takes you to the office 5 minutes away, then back again on return. Self-service pickup is available 24/7 with online check-in and Full Protection.

Can I rent from Lava with a debit card?

Yes, if you buy the Full Protection package. With Full Protection you can pick up the car with just a debit card, no credit card needed at the desk.

What is the minimum rental period with Lava Car Rental?

The minimum charge is 48 hours. You can rent for 24 hours, but you’ll still be billed for the full 48-hour period, so short rentals aren’t the best value.