Review: 71856 Jay's Transforming Car
Posted by CapnRex101,
Off-road vehicles have appeared in NINJAGO on multiple occasions and the latest edition, 71856 Jay's Transforming Car, looks superb. Predictably, the model is designed around a transformation function, as the whole forward section twists to reveal some animalistic features.
I think this vehicle looks impressive in either configuration and there are some great figures too, as the three ninja included are exclusive. Unfortunately, like 71811 Arin's Ninja Off-Road Buggy Car before it, the set seems very expensive at a price of £44.99, $54.99 or €49.99.
Summary
71856 Jay's Transforming Car, 387 pieces.
£44.99 / $54.99 / €49.99 | 11.6p / 14.2c / 12.9c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
While an enjoyable set in some respects, there are too many problems for the price
- Car looks sleek, but powerful
- Some clever functions
- Great minifigures
- Spring-loaded shooter is poorly integrated
- No proper suspension
- Overpriced
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
The six pre-2023 ninja receive new suits in Dragons Rising season four, very clearly influenced by dragon iconography. Jay and Nya both look splendid, featuring scaly designs on their torsos and golden claws printed on their feet. As ever, I personally dislike the bright light yellow accents used on modern Jay minifigures, but at least they are consistent.
Both minifigures use their hair pieces with dual-moulded headbands and matching bandanas, although they lack the shoulder armour worn by the ninja elsewhere in this wave, for reasons unknown. While I like that pointy armour element on the whole, these figures look surprisingly good without it.
Jay features a new double-sided head, which is a rarity for the ninja. His smile and determined expression work well, while Nya's double-sided head has appeared plenty of times before. The minifigures are each equipped with a golden katana.
The aforementioned dragon influence becomes more overt when the ninja take on their dragon forms. Kai Dragon Form is only found here and wears a new head wrap element with sculpted spikes, which complements the energised printing on the head underneath. This minifigure does include the shoulder armour piece, but its torso and legs match Nya and Jay.
Wings are connected to clips on the back of the shoulder armour, re-used from the Dragonian minifigures introduced last year. However, the moulded tail is new and really distinguishes this version of the ninja from others, including their Golden Dragon variants from Crystalized, which also had articulated wings.
Kai's standard smiling head looks a bit silly with his wings and dragon tail attached, although the option is there! Otherwise, he too is equipped with a pearl gold sword, which seems like quite an underwhelming weapon for such an elaborate minifigure.
The new season introduces fresh opponents for the ninja, seemingly controlled by the Loyalist Leader. This minifigure is lavishly dressed in a black robe with dark red and gold highlights and the colour combination looks superb, particularly with the metallic gold mask and its bright green eyes! The scaly details and teeth on the mask are striking beneath the black hood.
It appears the Loyalists are responsible for unleashing a group of Elemental Monsters, like the Earth Monster. This is a striking minifigure, with imposing dual-moulded horns mounted on its head and an interesting cracked texture over its entire body. The orange details and especially the shoulder armour look great, but I am unsure about dark tan as a base colour. Earth is often more associated with black or brown in NINJAGO.
The leader includes a staff, topped with horns and a decorated 2x2 round tile. The dragon skull icon is intriguing, featuring horns made of rock and ice. This character does have an alternative unmasked face, although their true identity may be considered a surprise in the animated series, so you can click here to view the alternative face if you wish.
Meanwhile, the Earth Monster uses the same dual-moulded parts for its accessories as it does for the horns, here doubling as claws. Perhaps the transition between the hands and the claws could be tidier, but I still think this is clever and the monster certainly looks intimidating.
The Completed Model
Jay's Transforming Car joins the selection of NINJAGO off-road vehicles and this is among the better looking examples. I love the deep tread on the tyres and the bodywork looks reasonably streamlined, only interrupted by visible engine details on the bonnet and the open cockpit. Also, the subtle forward rake is effective, as though the engine is compressing the front suspension.
However, it is a bit smaller than I expected, only measuring 19cm in length. There is not really any need for the model to be bigger, other than concerns about its cost. 71811 Arin's Ninja Off-Road Buggy Car was 22cm long for comparison, though Jay's version contains more parts and looks chunkier.
I am pleased with the shape of the bonnet and how the engine seems to erupt out towards the back. The bumper also looks good, but it is purely for looks because the wheels would actually collide first with anything in front. Unfortunately, the colour of the sticker placed on the bonnet is noticeably lighter than the neighbouring parts.
The cockpit is very spacious, with detailed controls and seats for two minifigures. The roll cage looks superb, especially with matching black bars on each side. Reddish brown is a fine colour choice for the seats and clips are available to store the minifigures' weapons beside the engine, where they blend in well.
However, when you place the figures, you will find they actually sit with their heads outside the roll cage. I am not concerned with the practicality of NINJAGO vehicles, dangerous though this seems, but it does look quite strange!
The back of the car is unusually constructed. The stickered flags are appealing, but the spring-loaded shooter in between looks clumsy to me. This and the medium nougat crate underneath are removable, which is a fine feature, but I am not convinced it is worthwhile with the launcher integrated like this.
Perhaps more importantly though, the vehicle has no actual suspension. There is a reason for this, as you will see later, but I think off-roaders should include some kind of suspension travel, so its absence is a shame. There are simulated springs, however, represented by stacks of red 1x1 round plates and 1x1 cylinders.
A small piece of scenery is included, featuring the new stylised leaf element. The instructions suggest fixing the spring-loaded shooter to the base, which looks as awkward here as it does when attached to the car. I imagine a future set will provide something to swap with the spring-loaded shooter because this feature is inexplicable at the moment.
The crate contains a pair of pearl gold sai and these extra weapons are always welcome. The clips under the crate are used to keep a spare missile for the spring-loaded shooter while they are attached to the vehicle.
Fortunately, the vehicle's true party piece is pretty impressive! The whole forward section turns around a heavy-duty rotation joint, which has only appeared twice before, in significantly larger sets. This function is unusual and can serve as a kind of suspension, although its main purpose is as part of the titular transformation.
Turning the forward section over reveals a golden dragon's head, changing the appearance of the vehicle quite dramatically. The pearl gold details earlier visible on the bumper are revealed as claws, which is a nice touch, along with the pale yellow teeth further back. Additionally, I like the trans-yellow highlights, as though the car is energised in this configuration.
The model's forward rake also becomes steeper with the dragon head revealed, bringing the wheels behind the side blades into contact with the ground. The rotating blades are relatively common in NINJAGO, but only having them activated when the car 'transforms' is an unusual feature and one that works perfectly, as the blades spin as the vehicle moves.
On the other hand, the blades look awkward in the car's standard form, sticking out and unable to rotate. I wish they could have unfolded somehow, although there would be no way to hide or even disguise the retracted blades on a model of this size, so I cannot complain too much.
Overall
71856 Jay's Transforming Car does some things extremely well, but others are utterly bizarre. The transformation function is simple and clever, particularly given how it activates the blades attached to both sides. Also, I think the vehicle looks pretty good, other than the spring-loaded shooter on the back. That and the included tree are just strange, in my opinion.
In addition, the price of £44.99, $54.99 or €49.99 feels expensive. That seems to be par for the course with these off-roaders and I presume the chunky tyres are a factor in the price, although other NINJAGO sets provide much better value. The minifigure selection is excellent, admittedly, but even that is not enough to justify the cost.
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9 comments on this article
I didn't realize it's using the new heavy-duty joint! Overall, I'd say it's a cool looking model with nice minifigs. I like the tires on it and the rotation feature. But as you said, some things are done weird, like the spring loaded shooter or the tree. Wait for a discount, I'd say.
So now we have five normal Jay face prints (the two normal ones, the older dragons rising "non-energized" one, and these two new ones)?
Legit cool feature on that hood rotation. That’s a significant profile shift between the two modes.
A really similar transforming function has been done before in 70222 Shadow Blazer. Interesting to see it used again!
Cool minifigs for sure but expensive big rubber tyres seems to be a trend within Ninjago.
Good build, awfiul value. Should have at least 2 more figs.
I don’t know if it’s just me but I find myself trying to guess the price off the first picture in each new set review. And in what seems to be a pattern these days, I was way low again.
I don’t particularly care for the car but the inclusion of 5 minifigs is great and that earth monster should be a candidate for minifig of the year.
The windswept tree (though oddly included) is also very intriguing. I hadn’t seen anyone do this yet with these new pieces and now I’m excited for future similar possibilities.
Just waiting for Jay's Transforming Car to transform into a T.
Your care not to spoil the face reveal is a nice touch <3