Not long ago, I took part in the trial run of a new product for the LEGO® Group. It was a fun process, but it also took a lot of time. I was not expecting anything other than enjoyment from the experience. However, the LEGO® Group saw fit to reward my time with an awesome gift. After completing my work on the project, I was surprised with a free Creator Expert Fiat 500 in the mail. The set announcement came last February and it hit store shelves in March. Today, we will take a closer look with the Fiat 500 (10271) review.
NOTE: The LEGO® Group sent me this set as a gift. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. I will use my usual rating system (click here to learn more) and provide my honest opinion.
FIAT 500 (10271) SUMMARY
- NAME: Fiat 500
- SET #: 10271
- THEME: Creator Expert
- COST: $129.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 960
- MINIFIGURES: None
- RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
FIAT 500 (10271) QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 91% (Average cost-per-brick but excellent build time value.)
- BUILD: 95% (Wonderful design with very few issues.)
- MINIFIGURES: N/A
- ENTERTAINMENT: 100% (Great display piece and enjoyable experience.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 95%
FIAT 500 (10271) REVIEW
VALUE: 91%
The Fiat 500 costs $129.99 in Canada. With 960 pieces, the cost-per-brick is $0.135. Comparatively, my average cost-per-brick is currently $0.14. Therefore, the value-per-brick for this set is average. For the price, you get a good number of bricks. I rate that at 82%.
My wife built this set. I am slowly working on getting her into the hobby. This was her third LEGO® project, and second expert-level build. It took her five hours and eleven minutes to assemble (311 minutes total). Consequently, at full price the Fiat 500 has a cost-per-minute of $0.42. Granted, my wife is new to LEGO® building. She and I do not build at the same speed. However, by comparison, my average is $0.83/minute. Therefore, you get a lot of build time for the price with this set. It earns 100% in this category. Averaging this score with the value-per-brick gives an overall value rating of 91%.
BUILD: 95%
The Fiat 500 is a detailed set. The hood opens to reveal a removable spare tire, and the trunk contains a nicely detailed engine. Additionally, the car doors open and feature handles and window cranks. Inside the car, the steering wheel is adjustable, the stick-shift moves, and the front seats lean forward to give realistic access to the back seat. The only touch of realism missing is that the steering wheel does not turn the car’s wheels.
In terms of design, the Fiat 500 looks wonderful. Interesting build techniques achieve the car’s angles and slopes. The techniques are like other expert sets. However, they still serve to improve your repertoire of build methods. Perhaps the only minor issue in the set’s construction stems from the hood. It comes apart easily. Since this is a display piece and not a playset, that is not a big problem. However, it does not take much manipulation for the hood to fall to pieces. Overall, I rate the design and build at 9.5/10 (95%).
ENTERTAINMENT: 100%
As a Creator Expert set, the Fiat 500 is a display piece geared towards adults. Consequently, it does not need to hold up to rough play. With that said, what a display piece it is. The car is super cute and achieves a realistic look. I do not have many of the LEGO® Group’s large car sets. However, this one will find a shelf in my LEGO® room. Both my wife and I really like it. Additionally, as a build experience, my wife said she enjoyed it. She gives this set an AFOL score of 100%. Since it is an expert set, we will forgo the KFOL score this time around.
OVERALL SCORE: 95%
In the end, the Fiat 500 is a fun build and great display piece. The set comes at a good value and provides ample build time for the price. It is not the typical type of set that I go for, but I like it a lot regardless. This is a solid, entertaining build and it is worth picking up. What are your thoughts on the Fiat 500? Feel free to comment below or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
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