Lava Car Rental vs Geysir Car Rental

Lava is a broad, family-owned Icelandic car-rental company founded in 2016 -- better known for economy cars, 4x4s and luxury rentals than for campers -- but its camper segment now runs to at least three configurations. The core is a new automatic Renault Kangoo campervan for two, a 2WD van conversion Lava markets around "the largest campervan bed in Iceland" (120 x 190 cm) and lists near EUR 245/day in summer. An older Kangoo sits below it as the budget option, and a VW Transporter 4x4 tops the range: an automatic, F-road-capable (in summer) campervan that sleeps three, with a Webasto diesel heater, a 28 L electric cooler and a no-deposit booking. Lava was named World Travel Awards "Iceland's Leading Car Rental Company" in 2023 and 2024, and it operates from Flugvellir 23, about five minutes from Keflavik Airport.

Geysir Car Rental takes an older, more specialised path. One of Iceland's longest-running independents -- founded in 1973 and independently operated since 2003 -- it runs its campers under a sister brand, Motorhome.is, from a depot at Bogatrod 11, roughly ten minutes from the airport. The fleet splits into two distinct families. On one side are iKamper roof-tent 4x4 SUVs -- a manual-diesel Dacia Duster, a plug-in-hybrid Jeep Compass and a larger Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe with a Skycamp 3.0 tent -- all genuine 4WD and gravel/F-road capable, but with no built-in kitchen, toilet or shower, so you cook outside and rely on campsites. On the other are built-in motorhomes sleeping two to six, with a gas stove, fridge, Truma propane heating for cabin and water, a freshwater tank and 220V hookup; the six-berth adds a shower and toilet. These motorhomes are road-going and not rated for F-roads.

The two fleets frame highland travel very differently. Both offer a 4x4, but Lava's is an enclosed campervan with its kitchen, heater and cooler inside, while Geysir's 4x4 is a roof-tent SUV where the cooking and living happen outdoors. That shapes equipment readiness. Lava's campers arrive close to turnkey -- heater, cooler, a 10 L freshwater tank, 220V/USB power and both a built-in and an outdoor table with chairs are included, with sleeping bags, sheets and pillows supplied (though they are thin ~15C bags rather than duvets, and the single gas cartridge lasts only about three days). Geysir's motorhomes are similarly self-contained, but its roof-tent 4x4s include none of that indoor kitchen or heating, and across the range bed linen and a camping set (tables and chairs) are optional paid extras. Pickup logistics diverge too: Lava offers self-service 24/7 pickup and return with online check-in and a minimum driver age of 20, whereas Geysir hands over its motorhomes in person only between 08:00 and 18:00, with a minimum age of 25 and no 24/7 key box.

On reputation the gap is wide but needs context. Lava carries one of the largest review footprints in the market -- roughly 4.6 on Google from around 4,700 ratings and about 4.5 on Trustpilot from more than 3,000 -- though those scores cover its entire car-rental operation, not campers specifically. Geysir's headline geysir.is Trustpilot sits at a polarized 3.2 from around 36 reviews, split between complaints over vehicle condition and drop-off charges and praise for fast, transparent staffed pickup; its campers, however, are reviewed under the separate Motorhome.is brand, which rates higher, so the 3.2 understates the camper experience. Both vendors bundle base cover -- Lava includes CDW/SCDW, theft and gravel protection (with a no-deposit option on the Transporter), while Geysir includes CDW, theft and liability with unlimited mileage but keeps a non-zero excess (~ISK 500,000 on motorhomes, ~ISK 360,000 on the 4x4s) that you can buy down for roughly EUR 26-52/day. On price, Lava sits budget-to-mid; Geysir leans on bundled basics and heritage rather than rock-bottom rates.