Review: 41333 Olivia's Mission Vehicle
Posted by MeganL,
The new Friends sets have caused quite a stir because of the re-imagining of the Friends minidolls. But how are the sets themselves? Today I'll take a look at one of the smaller sets - 41333 Olivia's Mission Vehicle. I was looking forward to this set because of the use of science and technology, which seems to be Olivia's specialty.
The Friends theme has gone through a refresh, which has been discussed at length when the look was first unveiled late last year. The refresh includes the artwork on the box. The box shape is unchanged - there are still indented edges on the front - but the graphics feel like they have warmer tones to them.
The five Friends are still featured in the upper right hand corner but now they're in a heart inset. The picture on the front of the box shows the entire set placed in a park like setting, with Heartlake City in the distance. There's a small inset in the lower left corner that shows the removable sections off the top of the vehicle. The back of the box shows different features of the set along with the Friends shown in the lower left. Olivia, the featured minidoll in the set is pictured in the upper right hand corner.
The background for the back of the box as well as the front indentations is a graffiti style with drawings of the symbols for several fo the Friends: hearts, paint brushes, stars, and gears. Inside the box there are two two numbered bags, small sticker sheet and an instruction booklet.
The minidoll in this set is Olivia. All of the five main Friends have been changed for this year, and Olivia arguably has had the most changes of all the minidolls. Her skin tone is darker and her eyes are still brown, but seem darker as well. Her hair is the same colour but has more braiding. The biggest change (for me at least) is the addition of aqua coloured glasses. I can understand the desire to refresh the Friends theme, so I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other about the minidoll changes (though do we now call minidolls before "legacy minidolls"?).
One change I do like (a lot) is the addition of Olivia's glasses. The 8 year old me would have loved to have seen a minidoll that wore glasses, just like I did. Olivia comes with a pet cookie accessory to help her accomplish her mission!
Since this is a refresh, it's not surprising that Olivia's outfit is new. She wears a blue shirt with a knotted fuschsia tie, both of which are worn underneath a pale yellow vest with an asymmetric closure. It's a very practical vest (as required to complete missions!) with plenty of zippered pockets. I love that the toggles on the closure for the vest are little gears. She's ready for action with fuchsia shorts and bright blue lace up shoes with fuchsia soles.
Accompanying Olivia on her missions is Zobo the robot. This is Zobo's third appearance in a set that I'm aware of - he (?) has been featured in other sets with Olivia that had a laboratory or science theme. He's a quick brick built creation and comes with a tablet with plenty of icons.
The current mission that Zobo and Olivia are on is to rescue Vega the cat, who has managed to get herself stranded in a tree. Vega is new to this set and has very striking calico-like markings. The printing on Vega is absolutely brilliant with the different coloured ears and paws and contrasting colours on the face and chest. In fact, I think Vega is just about the nicest looking cat that the Friends line has had so far.
The completed model
The tree is a pretty straightforward build, but there are some new pieces used that are worthy of note. The new flower pieces are shown off to good effect. In addition, there's a new leaf piece at the base of the tree.
The majority of the build is dedicated to the vehicle. It has plenty of room inside for minidolls - in fact, there's space for all the Friends! This is quite a change to many previous Friends vehicles, which typically only have room for one or two minidolls.
There's a plethora of new parts included in this set. Many of them are in dark azur, including some small plates, the piece that makes up the hood, a 1x2x2 wall element and the wheel wells.
I really like the "tech grl" license plate and the gears decorating the top of the hood (even if both those details are provided by stickers).
There are many details provided inside and outside the vehicle by stickers.
There's another girl positive message on the back of the vehicle, too.
Although all the details in the vehicle are provided by stickers, that's because that all the brick built details are provided in Zobo's rooftop control center on the top. The control center has everything that a Friend-ly robot would need, including a computer, a walkie talkie and a satellite dish. There's a flag with a heart just for good measure.
There's plenty of room for Zobo and his tablet. There's even space for a collapsing ladder that can be used to rescue Vega.
As mentioned before, the control center can be easily removed to show a slightly lower tech option for Zobo - a hard copy map of Heartlake City.
Overall thoughts
There are a lot of new pieces in this set. In addition to the dark azur pieces mentioned previously, the bright purple pieces used for the roof of the vehicle are new as well as some of the pieces in cool yellow colour. I really like the colour scheme used for this set - the blue, white and yellow don't come across as being all that girly. I had visitors to my house after I'd assembled this set and one of the people commented that they'd get this set for their daughter "because it doesn't look like it's for Barbie". In particular, I love the use of the cool yellow in this set. I thought it was a new LEGO colour except a quick search in the database shows that isn't the case, it just hasn't been used that much. I think this is a very underused colour!
I also like that accommodations have been made to transport all five Friends in this vehicle - this provides more flexibility and more play value. Having Zobo make a reappearance is terrific and I really like how the designers are emphasizing Olivia's affinity for science and technology. Not only do they include Zobo in this set, but the whole situation is geared toward a girl solving a problem and embracing science.
I think it's a pretty great toy, too, and for the price (223 pieces, $19.99, 19.99€, £14.99), it's not a bad value for money. For me, it's a good way to start off the Friends year.
For those of you who might wonder where Olivia might park her Mission Vehicle, stayed tuned for a review of 41340 Friendship House, coming soon.
Do you like Olivia's new look? What other Friends sets would you like to see reviewed? Let us know in the comments. (Never fear, Elves fans, a couple Elves set reviews are coming, too.)
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28 comments on this article
*Will skip over how stupid it is to change the skin tone of the character for no reason.*
I really like this set. I love how she has glasses, that's awesome. This is just a really nice set for a good value. I love the Ecto-1 vibe and the printing on the cat is really cute. Great set overall, maybe the best of 2018 so far.
Also I like the green background for the pictures. It matches, but highlights the set well.
We've still got a few "legacy" builds left from previous purchases before we think about moving onto the Nu-Friends sets from this year but certainly the refresh isn't causing a stir in our house - if anything it is giving my youngest the opportunity to consider broadening the population of Heartlake City by re-purposing them as "new" characters.
As for other reviews - well the Friendship house is definitely up there, along with Mia's Treehouse and the Camper Van. To be fair, they are on our shopping list for this year so will be purchased regardless but it's always interesting to read reviews.
Cool set. I like that the vehicle fits all five Friends, but at the same time am disappointed that all of the interior room is used for seating. I thought there would be a lab or workshop inside of the vehicle. Friends has always make such good use of space in sets to squeeze so much play in without crowding sets (the boats and gym easily come to mind as examples). It’s neat that all the Friends can fit, for sure, and Zobo’s rooftop lab is all right, but this seems like such a lackluster use of so much space.
I really like the ladder, and how it stores on the vehicle (so there is a bit of good use of space...) even if it seems like Olivia could reach the cat without it. I just wish that the tree were one brick taller!
The cat is beautiful. No more to say about that. Beautiful.
This is Zobo’s fourth appearance after 3933 Olivia’s Invention Workshop, 41116 Olivia’s Exploration Car, and 41307 Olivia’s Creative Lab.
Huge Friends fan, but Olivia’s glasses make her look old, and I hate to say it, but kind of stereotypically nerdy. I’m not against the idea of glasses on minidolls, but there had to be a better design for Olivia’s glasses than these.
Again, we’re huge Friends fans having every set except last year’s pool upgrade and Advent calendar (and two of the three animal packs that never seemed to be released in the States.) We’re still building most of 2017’s (and some of 2016’s!) Friends sets. We have a few 2018 sets with more on the way for 3’s birthday next week. I can’t wait to explore the “refresh” more. It seems to me that the creative use of space that was a brilliant part of many Friends sets may be a thing of the past.
Ah, crud, when I clicked "post comment" I lost my entire comment. I hate it when Brickset does that. I need to remember to copy and paste everything before I hit that button…
Anyway, love the subtle changes to Olivia's design. The addition of a single braid, a slight tan (still no darker than most light-skinned Duplo, Belville, or NBA figures, so I don't really get all the hubbub), and glasses together make her feel a lot more unique than just a "light skinned brunette" like the protagonists of so many other series. Arguably it also helps code the Friends as more ethnically diverse, since even though both the old and new designs could be interpreted as either white, Hispanic, or Asian, the darker skin tone makes it easier not to automatically assume she's white as a first impulse.
Olivia's new triadic (CMY) color scheme is also a nice change from her previous pinks and purples, and considering the ubiquity of the heart symbol to represent the entire team and Heartlake City in general, it's nice that they've shifted Olivia's icon to something more specifically suited to her: gears, sometimes arranged to look vaguely floral.
My biggest disappointment with this review is the lack of any clear pictures of the stickered interior details of the van, since those are one thing that is not obvious in the official pics or instructions. It's a bit of a shame that so much of the interior detail is just stickered rather than built, but the decision to ensure the vehicle can fit all five friends certainly justifies it, and Zobo's control center satisfies the need for brick-built detail. Between the van full of gadgets as a new signature vehicle and the converted firehouse as a new headquarters, the Friends this year are giving me some serious Ghostbusters vibes! (My brother just jokingly called this set the "Ecto <3")
Zobo and his family are always a delight in any set they appear in, and I also love Vega's adorable calico pattern! On a somewhat related note, it's cool how the Friendship House set has a lost cat flyer to foreshadow the "mission" in this set. I do wish that the LEGO Friends site had a page or pages with bios for the various robot and animal characters since they are usually such a charming part of the theme!
If I were buying these sets (and the refresh does make this a tempting time to start collecting Friends sets more seriously), I'd probably start with either the new bedroom sets or the Friendship House, and then maybe move on to this one. As cute as it is, I do feel like it's slightly lacking in play features unless you already have a few more Friends to put in it.
If a cat got stuck on a tree, who you gonna call?
Ghostbusters!
This is a great review of a great set, but I do have to question the bright green backdrop for the photos. It does contrast with the colors in the set, which is a plus, but at the same time it isn't exactly easy on the eyes and the reflected light from the backdrop sort of makes a few of the pictures look a bit sickly. A more neutral backdrop, perhaps some sort of white or grey, might work better.
As for my thoughts on the set itself: the lack of brick-built detail on the interior is a bit of a disappointment, though understandable due to having to fit a full five mini-dolls inside. The new Olivia and the calico cat are both fantastic, and Zobo's just as amazing as he's always been. I love the emphasis on Olivia's passion for tech, though a part of me wishes that there were more elements alluding to the other girls' hobbies to match the fantastic Friendship House (then again, maybe some of them will get their own new vehicles with the refresh at some point). The overall set is very Ghostbusters (as is the Friendship House), but certainly not in a bad way!
Knock off Ecto-1
I have yet to see a reviewer actually trying to stick five dolls in the van. Would have been great to see how well that actually works. Seems to be it would be rather cramped with little else in the van.
There's one thing that bothers me about this set & that's the 'Girls rule' sticker. I dislike any of the "x Rules" sentiments as it excludes anything that isn't "x". I'd far rather my daughters played with toys that were inclusive.
The set is still worth getting but that sticker will be making it's way to the rubbish rather than being applied
Well, I'm positively surprised. A bit of a shame Olivia is pretty much the full-on nerd girl, looks-wise (obviously she already was in reality) but adding glasses is a fairly good thing. My daughter will need some, some day, and she can see it's not uncool to wear them. We don't have any Friendsv2 sets yet, so I'm not sure how she will react to the new looks...
Very nice that more than 2 people fit in the van, too. Will need to get this one!
@Toc13: Seems a bit odd to consider that a sticking point. If the sticker said "Science rules" nobody would assume that it was specifically excluding art or sports or literature. "Rule" is only really exclusionary in the classic sense of "occupies a position of leadership" but I think it's pretty obvious that it's meant as a generic "girl power" statement and not advocating for a purely matriarchal system of governance. :P
@tallblocktoo: You could put in a dog in the back, similar to 60117 if you want it to stay, otherwise, there might be just enough room for the cat if you don't mind it rattling.
Thanks for the terrific review! This is a nifty little set and at that price point seems like a good (but not great) deal.
Thanks Megan for another great review of a Friends set! I noticed your comment about the photography of Iso3001 the other day, but your pictures are great too, so nothing to be ashamed off...
I'll buy this set asap, if only for the cutest LEGO cat in history!
My daughters still prefer the old school lego friends, and my eldest Erin, s favourite friend was Olivia until they did the tanning booth effect on her,
Like the car though although it looks like ecto 1..??
Ok I have no idea what's going on but all 2018 Friends sets feel like they have been made by new designer - all sets have few flaws that were absent in recent years.
The biggest problem I have is the colorshemes are really bad - often 1 color too much. ALso, too much pink again.
Still I like the design of this car and new hairpiece.
I don't get why LEGO didn't just have Olivia "move away", and then introduced a new science-loving Friend to take her place. The sets could've literally been kept the same, just with a different name for the new character. Many children have experienced losing friends who moved away, or having met new friends who have moved in, so it's not like that's too difficult of a concept for children to grasp and relate to. It certainly makes a lot more sense than changing someone's appearance (and race, basically) out of nowhere, and pretending like nothing happened.
As for the set, pretty cool. I always liked the science-themed Olivia ones the best personally, I secretly wish we could get stuff like this for the "normal" LEGO lines too.
I'm not hugely impressed by any of the new Friends sets and I doubt I'll buy any of them, to be honest, but I do like the idea behind the car, here (although it does very much look like Ecto-1, doesn't it?). The interior that can fit all five of them is a pretty nifty idea, and I know that I would've responded well to that, as a kid.
But I'm still going to ask the question. Realistically, how many time do cats actually get stuck in trees? I mean, is it something that happens that often?
^ And it doesn't take a technical genius to locate and extract a cat from a tree.
I agree with @Lyichir - the background color in the photos contrasts nicely with the colors of the set, but the green reflecting of the bricks makes them... dirty, for lack of a better word.
Nice pics--I like the green background used. Nice set, too. Great parts and great price, I think.
Terrible Car, terrible minifigure...
My daughters HATED the new mini figures. Jut as many, Olivia was the mini figure my girls most identified...
WTH, are they more concerned on GIRLs DOUTRINATION thru stickers than put some accessories! Ugly as an Ecto, empty and hollow....
Thank God there are Elves...
^^^ Perhaps not a technical genius, but the cats I've attempted to save always manage to move further up the tree, where a ladder wont reach. Leave the ladder, put some food down, and leave the cat alone seems to work better.
Thoughtful review! Thanks!
It would have been better to introduce a new Friend rather than change Olivia's skin color, but that would not keep me from buying this very cool set. The new pieces are wonderful, and who could not love the adorable cat?
It is time for new minimills, so I look forward to seeing truly new Friends.
That's supposed to be a cat? Looks bear-ish.
The set looks decent, but I agree, it does look a lot like Ecto-1.
Olivia was the best friend considering that is my daughter's name also. She was upset they changed her look since originally they looked like each other (except for blue eyes vs brown). Either way, it happens. I understand wanting more variance in skin tones, but it seems odd to replace a whole character. Granted, maybe they thought it has been long enough that the new wave of friends will hit new fans/children and they won't notice. Only the people who are getting too "old" for LEGO will notice.
The set looks decent, but I think I'll pass in the end. We tend to gear more toward Elves sets anyway these days.
I really love how all the Friends have their own color schemes now, and Olivia’s is by far my favorite.
I for one am glad they drastically updated her appearance. A third skin tone was overdue for Heartlake City, and if anybody is so upset about they can just pull out an older Olivia figure and put it in the van.
Great set all around too. Only complaint is the tree is too short.
Is it just me or does this look like the Friends equivalent of the Ecto 1? Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing that lol.
Cute little set. Not really into Friends but I may make an exception for this.