A 47-year-old Auckland woman had a miraculous escape this morning after being involved in a police chase that resulted in the arrest of a wanted fugitive.

About 10.30am on Friday police spotted a Toyota station wagon in Te Kauwhata that had been taken from a rental company a month earlier and not returned.

Inspector Richard Wilkie said police were unable to stop the driver.

Soon after the car was spotted in Pokeno and stopped by police.

But before police got to the driver's side of the car it sped away, Wilkie said.

Police chased it along the southern motorway before it took the Takanini off-ramp and drove through Manurewa, stopping at the Mobil station on Mahia Rd.

Wilkie said the car then did a U-turn, went back along the street and smashed into the driver's side of a police car.

He said the impact was enough to lift the front left-hand side of the Toyota, flipping it up onto a Honda driven by a 47-year-old Manurewa woman.

Wilkie said an ambulance was called to look after the woman, but she suffered no major injuries.

"She had a bit of a sore shoulder but she's thankful that she saw this all unfolding and was able to avert away from any serious accident or injury."

A witness, who did not want to be named, said he saw the Toyota being chased by about seven police cars on Great South Rd.

"I saw this car fly over the cop car straight into the car parked on the side of the Mobil gas station."

Jim Leathard from Cheap Vehicles on Great South Rd watched the accident unfold.

"I saw the police chasing the Corolla - it wasn't going at a great rate of knots, probably about 90kmh down Mahia Rd," he said.

"There was a Polynesian lady in the Honda. She was shaken. She was lucky - it could have been worse."

Leathard said the road was a dangerous one and there were often crashes at the intersection.

"People still think they're driving go-karts."

The driver of the stolen car, 36, from the Waikato but living in Mangere, was arrested on several driving charges.

He will also appear in court on 18 other unrelated charges.

His passenger, a 32-year-old woman who lives at the same address, is being interviewed by police.

The police officer in the car that was hit was not injured.

The Independent Police Complaints Authority has been advised about the chase.

- © Fairfax NZ News