Review : LEGO Technic 42122 Jeep Wrangler

As promised, today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Technic set 42122 Jeep Wrangler, a box of 665 pieces which will be marketed from January 1, 2021 at the public price of € 49.99.

This licensed product was developed in partnership with the automaker, so the instruction booklet does some publicity for the "real" Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in the process. Do not expect a high-end model, it is above all a simplified adaptation of the original vehicle aimed at the youngest.

The 665 parts, including more than 260 pins, are quickly assembled. The remote steering in the trunk, the two rear shock absorbers, the front axle and the cockpit are quickly installed and the main part of the construction process then consists in dressing the vehicle chassis with different bodywork elements.

No engine under the hood, you have to be content with a bucket seat covered with a sticker symbolizing the 6 horsepower 3.6l V270. The steering wheel spins in a vacuum, it is not connected to the steering shaft. It is also not a "real" 4x4 with all-wheel drive, there are no front suspensions and you have to be content with a front axle with central fixing which will however create an illusion when setting up. situation thanks to a large clearance. The five tires supplied are new in this range, they are the ones that will also be used on the LEGO CITY Tractor in 2021.

The vehicle's crossing capacities are therefore very correct and the youngest should have a little fun with this Jeep Wrangler, which does not lose parts during handling. We cannot really count on fidelity to the reference model to proudly display this Jeep, on this scale we only vaguely find the characteristic lines of the real vehicle and the many visible pins do not make it a model with an exemplary finish. It's just LEGO Technic and it shows.

The iconic Jeep seven element grille is present and the parts are pad printed. It has the merit of making it possible to visually associate the construction with the reference vehicle, but the pattern is unfortunately not perfectly aligned on all the parts.

We may regret that the rear arches are black on the LEGO version, they are the same color as the body on the real Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The rest of the trim of this Jeep Wrangler consists of stickers, even on the dashboard and on the seats with a "upholstery" stamped with the Rubicon mention.

The winch is often equipped with a simple string, it is time for LEGO to develop a more opulent solution based on flexible plastic cable. This sewing thread is not at the level of a licensed toy at 50 €. The cable is raised by manually turning the gear placed next to the spool. Rustic but effective.

We could debate the choice of color for this LEGO version which looks more like one of the many construction machines already in the LEGO catalog than anything else, but Jeep does offer a color called Hellayella very similar to its catalog.

In short, this set is a children's toy that looks a bit like a Jeep Wrangler crossed with a Hummer, it is not a complex model that implements elaborate techniques and the vehicle will be intended to roll on the floor of the bedroom or in the garden rather than ending up on the shelf of a collector looking for a successful reproduction. At 50 €, I find the object a bit expensive but we all know here that it will be quickly possible to find it for less than 40 € elsewhere than at LEGO.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 17, 2020 next at 23pm. 

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.