We're not tremendously adventurous drivers, but should we get a Jeep for touring Kauai or will a standard car do for many/most of the sites on this first trip to Kauai?
Mahalo for your input!

No need to rent a 4WD in Kauai.

Any car will do.

The only time you would need a jeep is if you were to drive to the Maha'upela beaches on the south side. The access road is HORRENDOUS: a dirt road with enormous potholes.

Otherwise, the roads are fine.

Enjoy.
PS. I don't think you posted this under "Hawaii."

Songdoc, you might also need one if the roads havent been recently graded to Polihale.

We usually get a convertable, close it up, hit the AC and th tunes and take our time around potholes on both roads.

And then open her up on the paved roads!

Thank you very much, folks! (Songdoc, I realized too late that I had not selected Hawaii but didn't want to have a double post)

Hello ShaeC - my husband and I wondered the same thing when we took a trip to Kauai this past March. I agree with all of the other posters - no need for 4WD - and we did A LOT of hiking in a lot of different locations around the island. Since our primary reason for going to Kauai was to hike, we rented a Pontiac Vibe (a hatchback), and it was awesome. It even had a little "seat" when you opened the hatch for sitting down and changing our flip flops to hiking boots. Of course, if you are planning on doing more driving and less hiking, as the earlier poster suggested, a convertible could be really cool!