Automatic car rental in Iceland
Last updated: 8 November 2026
Prepared by Ring Road Cars at Keflavík Airport and checked against the official sources listed at the end of this page.
Short answer
Yes. Every car in Comfort and Highland 4×4 is automatic. 4×4 Adventure has both automatic and manual cars: choose the Suzuki Vitara 4x4 for an automatic. Everyday and Family & Space cars are manual only. Our lowest-priced automatic (Suzuki Vitara 4x4, 4×4 Adventure) costs from €37 a day in winter, €38 in spring and fall and €88 in summer, BASIC + SCDW cover included; the road-use charge of €12 per day (€10.50 in 2026) is added on top. Book an automatic category or model, and tell us if your license only allows automatics.
Which of our cars are automatic
Every car on Our cars shows its gearbox, and you can filter the list by it. By category:
- Automatic only: Comfort and Highland 4×4.
- Automatic and manual: 4×4 Adventure — automatic: Suzuki Vitara 4x4; manual: Dacia Duster 4x4.
- Manual only: Everyday and Family & Space.
| Car | Category | Gearbox | Drive | Seats | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | Comfort | Automatic | AWD | 5 | 2 suitcases + 2 cabin bags |
| Nissan Qashqai | Comfort | Automatic | AWD | 5 | 2 suitcases + 2 cabin bags |
| Nissan X-Trail | Comfort | Automatic | AWD | 5 | 2 suitcases + 2 cabin bags |
| Suzuki Vitara 4x4 | 4×4 Adventure | Automatic | 4×4 | 5 | 2 suitcases |
| Toyota Land Cruiser | Highland 4×4 | Automatic | 4×4 | 5 | 4 suitcases |
| Toyota Aygo X | Everyday | Manual | 2WD | 4 | 1 suitcase + 1 cabin bag |
| Kia Ceed wagon | Everyday | Manual | 2WD | 5 | 2 suitcases + 2 cabin bags |
| Dacia Duster 4x4 | 4×4 Adventure | Manual | 4×4 | 5 | 2 suitcases + 1 cabin bag |
| Renault Trafic (9-seat) | Family & Space | Manual | 2WD | 9 | about 1 bag per person |
The car class code (ACRISS) in your booking summary tells you the same: in our codes, a third letter A means automatic and M means manual. Our automatic classes are SFAR, IFAR and PFAR; our manual classes are MDMR, CWMN, CFMR and FVMN.
What an automatic costs
Every car class has one day rate per season, and the pickup month sets the season for the whole rental. The day rate includes BASIC + SCDW cover, with a €1,000 excess, and unlimited mileage. It does not include the road-use charge of €12 from 1 January 2027 (€10.50 in 2026) per started day, which is shown next to every price on Prices and added as its own line in your quote.
| Season | Car | Day rate | 7 days, road-use charge included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Nov–Mar) | Suzuki Vitara 4x4 (4×4 Adventure, IFAR) | €37 | €329 |
| Shoulder (Apr–May · Sep–Oct) | Suzuki Vitara 4x4 (4×4 Adventure, IFAR) | €38 | €336 |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Suzuki Vitara 4x4 (4×4 Adventure, IFAR) | €88 | €665 |
The 7-day examples have pickup on 1 February 2027, 1 May 2027 and 1 July 2027: 7 days at the 7-day rate (5% off the day rate) plus 7 × €12 road-use charge. Our lowest day rates overall are on manual cars: from €34 a day in winter and €72 in summer (Everyday).
Your quote is what counts
These figures come from our current price list. The price for your dates and car is the one in your quote and booking confirmation, and longer rentals cost less per day.
How to book an automatic
- Pick an automatic category on the booking page: every model in Comfort and Highland 4×4 is automatic.
- In 4×4 Adventure, pick the Suzuki Vitara 4x4. With no model picked, your quote is for the Dacia Duster 4x4, a manual, or a similar car of its class.
- Check the summary before you send it: the car line shows the class code, and a third letter A means automatic, as in ACRISS IFAR.
- Tell us if your license only allows automatics, in the “Anything else?” box or by email to info@ringroadcars.is.
What “or similar” means
You book a car class: a specific make or model is promised only when we confirm it in writing. If your car is not available, you get a similar car in the same or a higher class at the same rate; if only a lower class is available, you can take it with a refund of the difference or cancel with a full refund (rental terms 1).
If you need an automatic in summer, book early.
Automatic-only driving licenses
Some driving licenses only allow cars with an automatic gearbox. On EU and EEA licenses, Iceland's included, that restriction is code 78: restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. Licenses from other countries may show it in their own way, so check yours before you book.
In Iceland, a foreign license lets you drive the same vehicles as in the country that issued it (Regulation No. 830/2011 on driving licenses, article 29, in Icelandic). An automatic-only license therefore means an automatic here too, and we follow the restrictions on every driver's license.
- Every driver counts: if any driver named on the rental may drive only automatics, book an automatic.
- Bring the physical license of every driver. The other license rules are in What you need to rent a car in Iceland.
- No cover for an unlicensed driver: no cover option applies to damage while the car is driven by an unauthorized or unlicensed driver (rental terms 36(k)).
Rarely drive a manual?
No cover option includes damage to the clutch or transmission (rental terms 36(l)). If you seldom drive a manual car, an automatic is the simpler choice on Iceland's hills and gravel roads.
The plug-in hybrid
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in Comfort is a plug-in hybrid with an automatic gearbox. You don't have to charge a plug-in hybrid: it runs on petrol when the battery is empty, so you fill it up like any petrol car and return it with a full tank, charged or not (rental terms 11). A lost or damaged charging cable costs €300 (price list). To ask for a particular model, pick it when you book; a model is promised only when we confirm it in writing.
Good to know about our automatics
- Winter: every automatic we rent has all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4×4), which we strongly recommend from November to March, and every car has winter tires from 1 November to 14 April at no extra charge (rental terms 1).
- Age: drivers of our automatics must be at least 25; at our discretion, drivers aged 20–24 can rent them for a young driver fee of €15 per day (rental terms 2).
- Groups: our automatics have up to 5 seats. The Renault Trafic (9-seat) in Family & Space is manual, so a group that needs more seats and an automatic would need two cars.
- F-roads: Comfort, 4×4 Adventure and Highland 4×4 can be booked F-road approved for summer trips to the highlands. You may drive F-roads only when your booking confirms the car as F-road approved, and only when the road is officially open (rental terms 16).
Not sure which category suits your trip? Read Which car do I need in Iceland?
Questions about renting an automatic in Iceland
Can I rent an automatic car in Iceland?
Yes. With us, every car in Comfort and Highland 4×4 is automatic. In 4×4 Adventure, the Suzuki Vitara 4x4 is automatic. Everyday and Family & Space cars are manual only. Every car on Our cars shows its gearbox, and you can filter by it.
Which is your lowest-priced automatic?
The Suzuki Vitara 4x4 in 4×4 Adventure: from €37 a day in winter, €38 in spring and fall and €88 in summer, BASIC + SCDW cover included. The road-use charge of €12 per day (€10.50 in 2026) is added on top, so a 7-day rental with pickup on 1 February 2027 comes to €329.
Do automatics cost more than manual cars?
Yes, with us: our automatics cost from €37 a day in winter and €88 in summer, our manual cars from €34 and €72. Both include BASIC + SCDW cover and unlimited mileage, and the road-use charge is the same for every car.
How can I make sure I get an automatic?
Book an automatic category or model and check the car class code in your booking summary: a third letter A means automatic. You book a car class, and a specific make or model is promised only when we confirm it in writing (rental terms 1), so if your license only allows automatics, tell us when you book.
My license has code 78. Can I drive a manual car in Iceland?
No. Code 78 restricts a license to vehicles with automatic transmission, and in Iceland a foreign license lets you drive the same vehicles as in the country that issued it. Book an automatic and tell us about the restriction when you book: we follow the restrictions on every driver's license.
Do I have to charge the plug-in hybrid?
No. Our plug-in hybrid, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, runs on petrol when the battery is empty, so you refuel it like any petrol car. Return it with a full tank; it need not be returned charged (rental terms 11).
Sources
The facts on this page come from our car list, price list and rental terms, and from these sources (checked 8 November 2026):