Booked a Mitsubishi Eclipse for 12 days and paid for all the extras which we highly recommend. Pick up/drop off at the airport was good with quick processing time at the offices. The car was great; ju... See more
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Experience Iceland with Lava Car Rental. We offer brand new rental cars, 4x4 and Campers for your Iceland trip. We offer a high class service and great prices.
Flugvellir 23, 230, Keflavik, Iceland
Replied to 63% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 2 weeks
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Very poor and frustrating experience.
Despite purchasing full protection insurance, I was given a car with over 108,000 km, with worn tires and clearly damaged tools. The wheel nut wrench provided was already worn out and could not properly grip the bolts.
When I had a flat tire, it was impossible to remove the wheel. Even a professional roadside mechanic struggled for around 20 minutes using proper equipment. The wheel was completely stuck and had to be forcefully removed. This was clearly not a normal situation and would have been impossible to handle alone, especially in a remote area.
I was charged 925€ for roadside assistance, and despite providing evidence (including video), the company refused to reimburse the cost.
This raises serious concerns about vehicle maintenance and the actual value of their “full protection” coverage.
I strongly advise anyone renting from this company to carefully check the condition of the tires, bodywork, and especially the tools provided for emergencies. Also, take detailed videos of the vehicle at pickup, as this may be essential later.
Proceed with caution when dealing with this company.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Quick checkin and return process! Excellent drop off service! Helpful staff!

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Hired a Qashqai for 5 days. The car was great and allowed us the freedom to do what we wanted. The price was cheaper than other places but no difference in vehicle. I would recommend them to anyone.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Everything went exactly as hoped. No problems.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
I don’t have a credit card, for most of the rentals youll need a creditcard.
But at lavarental, a debit card was just enough!
That helped me a lot
Also Great contact between company an I
10/10

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Transfer from airport to car station is well organized. Smooth, fast and simple handover. Returning the car was just as quick and easy.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Rented a Nissan 4WD from Lava Car Rental and the entire experience was smooth from start to finish. Pickup from the airport was quick and hassle-free, and the car was spotless and ready within minutes. The vehicle performed perfectly across Iceland’s roads, including longer drives, with zero issues. Drop-off was just as easy, even early in the morning. Clear communication, no stress, and exactly what you want when renting a car in Iceland. Would definitely recommend.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Quick professional transfer to pick car up and drop back to airport. staff on pick up and drop off very excellent, they made it all so easy and hassle free - l would highly recommend

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Picked us from the airport ( 7 minute transfer)
A very nice man was the driver and receptionist and helped us with the key collection ( you should receive a number to get your key from a box)
Car was great and even came with 2 x ice scrapers.
Drop off was easy and speedy transfer back to the airport.
No complaints!
Unfortunately we left a pair of my gloves (Rab black) in the car.
If you read this and wish to return them please do, or if you see an employee wearing them I hope they appreciate them!

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Local car rental agency that knows the weather conditions of the country and provides you with exactly the model you choose. The video to reach the shuttle is very helpful.The staff is very welcoming, as are all Icelanders by the way.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Horrible! Jonah the manager was completely rude to both my partners and I. They ‘upgraded’ our car to one with something broken on the underside of the car… we of course didn’t notice until driving away, since we arrived in the night and had to chisel our way into the car in the middle of the night since they decided not to start any of the cars in the lot… they of course charged us for their damage. Extremely unimpressed and completely unprofessional. Use any other car service. We rent cars for travel frequently and this by far was the worst experience.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Our eight-day photography trip around Iceland was perfect, thanks in part to the team at Lava Car Rental. Everything—from the airport transfer to picking up the car, returning the vehicle, and the shuttle back to the airport—went flawlessly. Their support when we had an issue with a tire was also excellent and extremely fast, so all praise goes to the entire team, especially Joana. We will definitely see each other again on our next adventure in Iceland.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
I rarely write long reviews, but what happened with Lava Car Rental during my trip to Iceland absolutely needs to be shared.
1. First Breakdown – Slow Response & Unhelpful Attitude
During the first incident, when our vehicle malfunctioned, I called Lava for assistance & spoke with Joanna. Her impatience was obvious even in our brief conversation. We followed her instructions & emailed the required information immediately. We received no assistance from her. Only 30 minutes later did another staff member call us —by which time we had already solved the issue ourselves.
2. Second Breakdown – Stranded in the Middle of Nowhere
Seven days later, our car broke down again in northern Iceland. We followed the same procedure & emailed all necessary documents. After 30min with no reply, we called Lava.A staff member told us another department would handle the matter and that we would receive a call within 30min. Another 30min had passed, we still received no call.We phoned again, hearing the same promise, yet receiving no follow-up for another hour.
Meanwhile, daylight was fading, temperatures were dropping, and we were completely alone in a remote area for more than 2 hours.
When Joanna finally picked up one of our calls, she claimed she had not received our email - despite earlier confirmation from her colleague. She asked us to resend everything but refused to stay on the line, even though we were in an unsafe situation with limited roaming credit.
It was one of the most helples moments of our trip.
About 30 minutes later, we finally received instructions to drive to a partner workshop. The mechanic examined the car and told us it had to stay overnight. We were told to return the next morning at 11 a.m.
3. Unexpected Charges & Confusing Instructions
When we returned the next day, the workshop informed us that we had to pay for the repair upfront. Confused, we called Lava again and were told, “Pay first, then claim later.”
This delay and miscommunication cost us an entire travel day, forcing us into a long 6–7 hour drive afterward with limited winter daylight.
4. Vehicle Return – Misinterpretation, Hostility & Baseless Accusations
At vehicle return, a male staff member inspected the car and confirmed it was in good condition.
When I asked about the reimbursement process, Joanna - who was sitting beside him - intervened.
Without inspecting the car or having any technical knowledge, she took a photo of the repair invoice & translated the Icelandic repair notes using her phone. She then incorrectly claimed the damage was caused by “strong wind,” which was supposedly not covered by insurance.
This was a completely false statement.
The document clearly stated: “Cause of damage was unknown.” There was no mention of wind or weather.
After I corrected her, her attitude became increasingly impatient and hostile. She told me to resubmit all the documents by email—even though she already had them. When I asked why I needed to send everything again, she blamed it on emails “falling into the junk folder." However, that is not the customer’s responsibility.
What shocked me most was that instead of answering my legitimate questions, she repeatedly accused me of being “rude.” I never raised my voice, never used harsh language, and remained calm the entire time.
As a customer, I couldn’t help but wonder:
Isn’t assisting with claims part of her job?
Why blame the customer for Lava’s email system issues?
How could a frontline representative show so little empathy, especially knowing we had previously been stranded in freezing conditions for over two hours?
5. Impact on Our Trip
We spent months planning what was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Because of Lava’s repeated failures: our itinerary was severely disrupted, we lost a full travel day, we missed key destinations we were excited about, & we experienced unnecessary stress in a dangerous environment
Iceland is a beautiful place, but this experience left a lasting & unfortunate stain on our trip.
FINAL THOUGHT: I Cannot Recommend Lava Car Rental
After everything we experienced—the delays, the contradictions, the lack of responsibility, & especially the hostility - we simply cannot recommend Lava to anyone.
A rental company should help you feel safe on the road. Instead, Lava left us stranded, blamed us for their internal issues, and treated us with disrespect.
This was a painful lesson, & I sincerely hope no one else has to go through the same experience.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Car had frozen brakes and boot, they gave us a new car and was driving off within minutes. Pick up and drop off was perfect. Definitely recommend this company

Reply from Lava Car Rental
The rental car located away from the airport, and have to wait for their shuttle service to pick you, not the most convenient option. The car received was not at the best condition, and was not clean up properly. Staffs services were just OK, can be nicer.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Rental experience was smooth and completely hassle-free. We received exactly what we booked — an older model 4x4 Duster (2022) with full insurance — in excellent condition and equipped with studded tires, which proved extremely useful just a day after record snowfall for late October. The car also had a built-in GPS, though I preferred using Google Maps.
The return process was equally quick and straightforward. My only small remark is that the receptionist could have shown a bit more enthusiasm, but perhaps that’s just part of Iceland’s famously cool charm.
Overall, I definitely recommend this rental company.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Everything was good. Quick Service, Airport Transfer and the car was in good conditions

Reply from Lava Car Rental
From pick up to drop off, everything was so perfect and smooth. The car that I got was in great condition. Also, shuttle service to the airport was cool. The greatest thing was the price. Lava car rental price was unbeatable compare to other car rental companies.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
The best rent car company in iceland ( in love with the duster )

Reply from Lava Car Rental
Booked a Mitsubishi Eclipse for 12 days and paid for all the extras which we highly recommend. Pick up/drop off at the airport was good with quick processing time at the offices. The car was great; just a couple of niggles which should have been checked before assigning the car. One of the front headlights didn’t work and the back window wiper just smeared the surface! The service prior to and check in on the first day was excellent as well as providing helpful driving guides, discount fobs for fuel and vouchers for Costa. Highly recommend and would definitely use again.

Reply from Lava Car Rental
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