About Iceland Car Guide
We're based in Reykjavík, Iceland. We built this site because we kept seeing the same thing: tourists arriving with the wrong rental car, the wrong insurance, and wrong expectations about Icelandic roads — all because the information out there is written by people who've never driven here.
Who we are
We're Icelanders who drive these roads every day — in summer heat, winter blizzards, and everything in between. We know which roads actually need a 4x4 (and which ones don't), we know why gravel protection isn't optional here, and we know what it feels like when a gust of wind tries to rip your car door off.
That local knowledge is something no content farm or travel aggregator can replicate. When we say the Westfjords roads are challenging, it's because we've driven them dozens of times. When we recommend a 4x4 for winter, it's because we've seen what happens when people don't have one.
Why we built this site
Almost every tourist who visits Iceland needs a rental car — public transport barely exists outside Reykjavík. But the rental market is confusing: dozens of providers, overlapping insurance options, and roads that range from smooth highways to rocky highland tracks that require specific vehicles by law.
We wanted to create the resource we wish existed when friends visit: practical, honest, and specific. Not generic “top 10 tips” rewritten from other blogs, but real advice from people who understand the conditions.
How we make money
We earn commissions when you book a rental car through our affiliate links. When you click a “Compare Prices” or “Search Rentals” button, it takes you to our partner (typically Discover Cars or a local Icelandic provider). If you book through that link, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This is how we keep the site free. It also means we're incentivised to give you good advice — if we recommend the wrong car or the wrong insurance and you have a bad experience, you won't book through us again.
We never recommend a provider we wouldn't use ourselves, and we never let commission rates influence our recommendations. If a local company with a lower commission offers a better deal for your situation, we'll say so.
Our tools
We built free interactive tools that content farms can't replicate:
- Car Picker Quiz — answer 4 questions, get a personalised car recommendation
- Trip Cost Estimator — calculate your total rental budget including fuel and the new kilometer fee
- Road Condition Checker — links to the official sources we check before every drive
Get in touch
Have a question about renting a car in Iceland? Found something on the site that's wrong or outdated? We want to hear from you. Reach us at hello@icelandcarguide.com.