Star RV: An Honest Review for Renters

Star RV is the most expensive campervan rental in New Zealand. That is a direct consequence of what it includes: a fixed bathroom, a full kitchen, linen and a heavy-duty chassis are not free to build or maintain. Travellers who do not need all of that equipment are paying for it anyway. Heating is not included — it is an optional addon extra, which is worth noting for South Island shoulder-season travel.

There is no budget model and no way to trade down within the Star RV range. The smallest Polaris is a four-seat, two-berth motorhome — larger and more expensive than every compact campervan in the market. A couple who would sleep comfortably in a JUCY Crib or a Spaceships Beta is not the target customer.

Star RV's booking engine, depot network and vehicle handover process are operated by JUCY. Pickups and drop-offs happen at the same airport-area depots, with the same shuttle arrangements and the same opening hours. The booking confirmation, the rental agreement and the roadside-assistance number all come through JUCY's systems.

This is not unusual — THL operates multiple brands from shared infrastructure across New Zealand — but it means that the operational experience (depot wait times, handover process, roadside response) is JUCY's, not a separate premium service.

The Polaris 2, 4 and 6 share the same design language and equipment level. The difference is sleeping capacity: two adults, four adults, or six adults. All three are automatic, diesel, front-wheel-drive motorhomes with no 4WD option.

None of the Polaris models is cleared for unsealed roads. Travellers planning routes through the Skippers Canyon area, gravel sections of the West Coast, or any of New Zealand's named restricted roads will need to book a 4WD-capable vehicle from another operator.

The 4.1 weighted average across two depots places Star RV in the middle of the New Zealand market — above JUCY (3.9) and Apollo (3.7), but below Britz (4.2), Spaceships (4.5), Wilderness (4.9) and several smaller operators. For a brand that positions itself as premium and charges accordingly, the rating is lower than a traveller might expect.

The two depots rate similarly: Auckland at 4.3 and Christchurch at 3.9, with nearly equal review counts. No separate Queenstown listing was found, suggesting that depot's reviews may be mixed with JUCY's Queenstown listing.

The Trustpilot page at starrv.com carries 151 reviews at 2.4, combining both countries under a single domain. Star RV has claimed the profile and holds a paid subscription, which means it invites reviews and can respond to them. With no NZ-specific Trustpilot page, the 2.4 is an AU+NZ figure rather than a New Zealand score.