On March 1, 2022 a few new Technic sets hit the shelves. Among them is the Technic All-Terrain Vehicle (42139). Technic is known to feature vehicles, like the Lamborghini Sian, and machinery. Although I do not typically build Technic, I do enjoy building cars. In fact, the Creator Expert vehicle line is my favourite theme offered by LEGO®. I was hopeful that I would enjoy the experience of building the All-Terrain Vehicle. It is certainly appealing to me just from looking at the box art.
NOTE: The LEGO® Group provided this set for review. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. I will use my usual rating system (click here for more information) and provide my honest opinion.
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE SUMMARY
- NAME: All-Terrain Vehicle
- SET #: 42139
- THEME: Technic
- COST: $99.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 764
- MINIFIGURES: None
- RELEASE DATE: Match 1, 2022
- COST/BRICK: $0.13
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 93% (Very good cost-per-brick, excellent amount of build time)
- BUILD: 83% (Pretty good build experience)
- MINIFIGURES: n/a
- ENTERTAINMENT: 85% (adding a motor would make it awesome)
- OVERALL SCORE: 87% (good set)
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE REVIEW
VALUE: 93%
The All-Terrain Vehicle costs $99.99 in Canada and comes with 764 pieces. The cost per brick works out to $0.13. This is slightly better than average ($0.138) when compared to standard brick-based sets. Technic is a unique building system with very different elements from system-based sets. As a result, Technic also provides a very different build experience. I have only built one small Technic set. As a result, this makes it a bit difficult to compare the experience to building with system bricks. Consequently, I imagine the set took me a bit longer to build than someone who is more familiar with Technic. That said, the set took me just over 4 hours which is great value per minute at $0.40. After taking these factors into consideration, the overall value rating of the All-Terrain Vehicle is 87%.
BUILD: 83%
As mentioned, this is only my second Technic set and my first set of substantial size. The build begins with a small gear box. Despite its size, I found it fairly time-consuming lining up all the gears and various pins. Regardless, completing the gearbox was quite satisfying.
Shared Techniques with Creator Expert
The next section is the front of the ATV which contains the winch housing and the front axle. I always love building the axles of the Creator Expert vehicles and this set provided a similar experience. I imagine it is because Creator Expert vehicles borrow techniques from Technic, rather than vice versa. In addition to the steering mechanism, the ATV also has some really great shocks which are really fun to play with, especially if you enjoy tactile experiences like I do.
Challenging Parts
The construction of the rear axles went less smoothly than the front. I had never built a dual axle vehicle before, and I found I really had to pay attention when putting together the double differential. The independent shocks on each of the three axles give it a lot of play and movement. Prior to building this set I was only familiar with 2-axle ATVs so I wasn’t sure if this model was realistic. I had to look up the 6-axle version to see how true to life the model is. And it looks pretty good from the couple of photos that popped up.
Lots of Detail
After building the rest of the frame, I put together the mechanism for dumping the cargo bed which operates very smoothly. The build started to move along much more quickly at this point. Well, quickly except for the stickers. I rarely use the stickers that come with my sets so that slowed me down a little. But they do add a lot to the aesthetic of the ATV. I enjoyed adding some fun detailed elements like the steering mechanism, front cargo rack, and the brush guard.
The Chainsaw!
One of my favourite parts of this set when I first saw the box art was the chainsaw. It is a fun little build. The side profile of the chainsaw is fairly realistic though I would have preferred orange rather than white axle connectors on the side. After a quick Google search, it seems my vision of a chainsaw matches a Husqvarna whereas the LEGO® designer might have been aiming more for a Stihl. The chain even rotates. However, I wish it had slightly different functionality rather than using your fingers to move it. I also think they could have added a couple additional pieces to the main compartment that normally houses the engine and fuel reservoir. Instead, this section is left wide open. I also wish the model came with a few extra logs as the cargo bay looks pretty empty with the four that it comes with.
While I am not into building Technic, I do like building Creator Expert vehicles. There were some similarities in the construction of the axles and steering mechanism. The overall build experience was fairly good though there were times when I was over trying to line up all the little pins. I love details and this set does that quite well. I also love the functionality of the set. And those features bump up the build experience. Overall, I rate the build experience of this set at 83%.
ENTERTAINMENT: 85%
I have always enjoyed playing with cars ever since I was a kid. The day after I built the set, I headed to the local park to see how it would do on uneven terrain (our family room just wasn’t cutting it). I sure wish this set was motorized as it would have been fun to watch it climb over obstacles at the park with its chunky tires!
To get the most out of the shocks, there needs to be more weight in the ATV. I imagine a motor would help a bit with that. Regardless, I think kids will enjoy building this set. I do think that the play factor without a motor appeals more to younger builders. Unfortunately, since this set is rated as 10+, it may have missed the mark slightly. I think that kids in that age group would find it more fun to play with if it was motorized.
Clearer Instructions Needed
While at the park I also realized I had no idea how to use the winch. When I got home, I checked the instruction manual and there was no guidance on how to unlock it. After trial and error, I figured out that when you depress the little red knob above the gear selector, it unlocks the winch so you can pull the winch hook out. However, once I had it out, I couldn’t figure out how to wind it back in! Eventually I figured out that turning the gear on the right side of the saddle winds the rope and hook back in. I can see a lot of folks missing this, especially if they have never built Technic before or are unfamiliar with these types of vehicles.
I also couldn’t figure out what the dual speed selector was for and never did figure that one out. Perhaps there is some way to add a motor.
OVERALL SCORE: 87%
The All-Terrain Vehicle offers very good value. Although I am not experienced in building Technic sets, this set has a good balance of challenging techniques and interesting details. It has some fun features, and the final model looks good as well. While it is fun to play with, I think it would have been more fun if it was motorized. However, I am hopeful that it is possible to add a motor to increase the play factor even more. What do you think about the Technic All-Terrain Vehicle? Have you tried adding a motor? Feel free to comment below or reach out on social media.
Play well folks,
-Krista
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