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What is it like to book a car rental in Iceland with Lava Car Rental? Now, you can easily know what to expect, but not because we’re telling you what a great experience you’ll have. Instead, you can get all the details straight from real-life Lava Car Rental customers.
Over 20 months, from December 2023 to August 2025, we ran an ongoing and anonymous customer satisfaction survey. We wanted to go beyond the basic reviews that simply leave a star or numerical rating. We wanted to know exactly why customers chose us, what made their experience better, what surprised them about their trips and even how they thought we could improve.
We were very pleased to find that more than 1,500 customers took the survey, providing their valuable insights into their Iceland car rental experience. These customers included travellers of all ages and demographics, renting all sorts of different vehicles from the Lava Car Rental fleet, including compact rental cars, rugged 4x4 rentals and campervans.
So, ready to see what they had to say? Here’s how we conducted our survey, what kind of feedback we received and how we’ll use this data to shape future amazing Iceland trips for our travellers.
How We Collected the Feedback
When you’re looking through reviews as you’re considering booking a travel experience, you want those reviews to be honest. You need to know that past customers are really telling you everything you might need or want to know, before you spend your hard-earned money on a travel service or product.
As we conducted our survey, we wanted to put honesty and transparency first, too, so that we could ultimately provide you, a future customer, with the most valuable prior customer insights possible.
So, first, we made sure that we reached out to a variety of travellers, so that our data pool reflected a wide range of traveller demographics, needs and experiences.
As mentioned, this meant reaching out to travellers who’d booked a car rental in Iceland, from Lava Car Rental, over the span of 20 months. We reached out to all travellers, covering families, couples and solo explorers; people who went on short trips and long trips; people who visited in the summer and winter; and people who rented economy vehicles, SUVs and campervans. Additionally, the survey was conducted entirely in English and garnered responses from customers who’d travelled to Iceland from all over the globe.
In short, every type of customer that Lava Car Rental serves, we surveyed.
Then, we made sure to send out the survey right after the customer’s trip concluded. That way, the experience was entirely fresh in their mind, and they wouldn’t inadvertently forget any important details, as we asked them about the entirety of their experience with us, from booking through to travel prep, through the actual rental period, and finally returning their rental and leaving.
We asked a variety of questions and did more than just encourage travellers to give us reviews or a numerical rating. We wanted to hear actual comments from real travellers, in their own words. So, we provided open comment boxes wherein travellers could tell us anything they wanted. We asked about travellers’ trip styles, pre-booking expectations and whether their experiences met those expectations.
Finally, of course, we kept the survey 100% anonymous, so that travellers could feel free to be as honest as possible.
What Surprised Us
Of course, we went into the survey experience expecting certain feedback, and while travellers did confirm some of our suspicions, they also clued us into a few surprising facts. Additionally, the type of feedback that travellers provided cemented what exactly matters most in the Iceland car rental experience, so that we can, in the future, focus our efforts on those elements.
Here are a few tidbits of feedback from travellers that surprised us:
- Self-service pickup was a game-changer.
We know that the ability to pick up your rental car in Iceland, on your own, without sticking to a rental car office’s business hours, makes your trip far more convenient. However, we didn’t realize just how important this offering was to travellers!
So many travellers told us that this option with Lava Car Rental was key to getting their trip off on the right foot. They were able to pick up their car without worrying about how early or late their flight got in. Likewise, they were able to skip stressful, time-consuming rental counter queues.
- Debit card acceptance really mattered.
So many travel providers only accept credit cards from international travellers, but Lava Car Rental will accept a debit card, and this was something that travellers mentioned many, many times in the survey.
For some of them, it meant the difference between being able to rent or not rent a car. They literally weren’t able to rent a car from other rental car providers in Iceland, because those other providers wouldn’t accept their debit card. When that happened, Lava Car Rental was there for them.
- Room for improvement in instructions.
We’ll be the first to admit that we’re not perfect, and part of the purpose of this survey was to discover where we could best improve.
As such, we were interested to find out that several travellers wanted clearer guidance for how to use our self-service kiosks, as well as how to find our car rental office after leaving the airport. Some suggested visual step-by-step instructions or video instructions, which was very helpful feedback!
- Fleet comfort stood out.
While car reliability is paramount when traversing Iceland’s rugged terrain, you also don’t want to be just generally uncomfortable when riding in a vehicle for long hours during an Iceland road trip. As such, many travellers were pleased to find that not only were Lava Car Rental’s vehicles very comfortable over the course of their trips, but also outfitted with modern safety and entertainment features, as well as very clean.
- Transparency was appreciated.
If you’ve ever gotten to the car rental counter and been thoroughly confused about your insurance options, you’re not alone. Car rental insurance at most providers can be a confusing topic.
That’s probably why travellers pointed out that Lava Car Rental’s straightforward, transparent insurance coverage was a big selling point for them. They felt that the process lent Lava Car Rental credibility, ensuring them that they could trust us and there would be no extra, surprise, hidden fees.
- Seasonal challenges made feedback unique.
There was an interesting difference in feedback from travellers who visited Iceland in the winter versus travellers who visited Iceland in the summer.
For example, those who visited in the winter mentioned snowy, icy roads and how much they valued vehicle features like heated seats and the reliability of 4x4 SUVs. Meanwhile, those who visited in the summer mentioned that they also enjoyed the reliability of Lava Car Rental’s 4x4 SUVs, but because it allowed them to access more rugged areas, such as the Highlands.
All of this season-based feedback just underscored the importance of proper seasonal preparation to your overall Iceland experience.
You can see further statistics gathered from the survey on our dedicated survey results page.
What Customers Said in Their Own Words
But if you want to know what customers said in their own words, we’ve pulled out a few stand-out pieces of feedback from the survey as well:
“The self-service pickup was a lifesaver after our late-night flight. No waiting in line!”
“We were surprised how easy it was to book with a debit card. Other companies turned us away.”
“Great car and friendly team, but clearer directions from the airport to the office would help.”
“We loved the modern safety features. It gave us peace of mind while driving in Icelandic winter conditions.”
“Having insurance included without hidden costs made us feel secure and respected as customers.”
Lessons We’re Taking Forward
So what have we learned from our survey? Here’s how we’re using this valuable data to improve the Lava Car Rental experience for future customers:
- We’re updating our pickup instructions so that they’re clearer and more straightforward, with step-by-step guides and new walk-through videos.
- We’re continuing our dedication to making the Iceland car rental experience as transparent as possible, with no hidden rules or extra hoops related to either insurance or debit card acceptance.
- We’ll continue providing a no young driver fee policy, so that younger travellers can continue to afford a trip to Iceland.
- We’re developing clearer, more straightforward airport wayfinding materials, so that travellers can find us quickly and easily after arrival.
- We’re investing in staff training to keep our customer service experience consistently friendly and efficient, even during Iceland’s peak travel seasons.
- We’re considering how we can use new digital tools to make booking and managing rentals smoother and easier, without the need for customer support.
- Now, all customers who book their rental car on the Lava Car Rental website have access to our self-service option.
A Glimpse into the Numbers
While you can see all of the ratings, charts, testimonials and stats on our survey results and reviews page, here are a few numbers that really stood out:
- ⭐ 87% of customers would rent with Lava Car Rental again
- 📅 75% of customers rented for a longer stay of a week or more
- ⚡ 48% of customers praised our fast, easy pick-up process
- 🚗 4.4/5 was the average rating for vehicle quality
- 🌍 Customers came from over 40 countries, giving us an incredibly diverse perspective
Why This Matters to Future Travellers
We’re sharing our survey results in an effort to continue to provide a transparent, credible, trustworthy travel experience to our customers, both old and new. You should feel confident that, when you book with Lava Car Rental, you’re booking with a company that values your feedback and improves accordingly.
Whether you’re booking with us for the very first time or you’ve been coming to Iceland for ages, you can rest easy knowing that Lava Car Rental continues to adapt to travellers’ evolving needs, from the booking process on our website to the moment you drop off your rental vehicle and head back home.
Thank You
We can’t thank our customers enough for responding to our survey and providing their honest reviews and feedback. You’re helping ensure that the next traveller’s experience is even better, and that your next trip to Iceland will be even greater, too.
So, have you checked out the data, and are you ready to book your Iceland car rental?
