Review: 40469 Tuk Tuk
Posted by MeganL,
The second of the smaller vehicles released at the start of the year is 40469 Tuk Tuk. Unlike 40468 Yellow Taxi, this vehicle does look like it accommodates passengers, and is also strikingly colourful with some relatively new pieces. How does it compare to the Yellow Taxi? Let's take a closer look.
Inside the box there are three bags and an instruction booklet. There are no stickers, which is a bonus for me.
I love all the colours used in the build. The very nature of a tuk tuk means that there's space in this model for a driver in the front and passengers in the back. While the driver's seat is a relatively bland colour, the passenger colour is a very vibrant pink. This is quite consistent with my experiences in countries where I've had the opportunity to ride in a tuk tuk.
Once constructed, the roof can be lifted off to fit a minifigure in the driver's seat.
There's plenty of room for passengers in the back.
Hey, what are you two doing here? This isn't even your theme! (Note: sloths not included in this set)
Lots of eye-catching colours are used in this build, which captures the essence of the tuk tuk, while also giving a sense of fun of what riding in one is like.
Details abound in the model, including the fire extinguisher on the back and the lunch boxes strapped to the roof. The designer has packed colour in every possible spot. I particularly like the use of red and orange underneath the roof next to the gold tassels.
The front view shows many of the colours but doesn't look like a hodgepodge, showing the care the designer took in parts usage and colour blocking.
Overall thoughts
I found this to be a fun little build. I love that you can put minifigures in, though they will tend to slide off the passenger seat if it's moved around a bit, and the driver fits quite snugly. There are some relatively new pieces included in this set, including the 2x4 angled plates in dark azur. This is a sturdy little build that is well suited both for play or display in a larger city theme. It's temporarily out of stock at S@H in the U.S., and it's not difficult to see why. For the price (155 pieces, $9.99, 9.99€, £8.99), it's hard to beat.
No, you agile sloths, those lunches aren't for you!
Many thanks to LEGO for providing a copy of this set for review. All opinions expressed are mine.
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59 comments on this article
I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure
I don't see a lot around here but they are definitely very popular all over Europe especially in younger age groups as a cheap and fun way to get around - very touristy thing.
Very popular in South-East Asia as well.
Lovely colours and great addition to any City!
@fakespacesquid said:
"I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure"
They were originally designed in Thailand as the motorised equivalent of a rickshaw, although they were prototyped in Italy after WWII to try to rebuild city transportation. I've certainly never seen one in Britain and I doubt I ever will!
@Slobrojoe said:
" @fakespacesquid said:
"I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure"
They were originally designed in Thailand as the motorised equivalent of a rickshaw, although they were prototyped in Italy after WWII to try to rebuild city transportation. I've certainly never seen one in Britain and I doubt I ever will!"
Actually there are quite a few operating in central London, I think most European capitals have tuk tuks these days. It's less common than the cycle rickshaws, but still very visible in the Trafalgar Square / Leicester Square / Chinatown area, hence, around the Lego Store itself by coincidence!
I really like this one. It depicts the original quite faithfully and overall is just quite a cute vehicle.
It's far better than the Yellow Taxi in my opinion.
@FASC said:
" @Slobrojoe said:
" @fakespacesquid said:
"I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure"
They were originally designed in Thailand as the motorised equivalent of a rickshaw, although they were prototyped in Italy after WWII to try to rebuild city transportation. I've certainly never seen one in Britain and I doubt I ever will!"
Actually there are quite a few operating in central London, I think most European capitals have tuk tuks these days. It's less common than the cycle rickshaws, but still very visible in the Trafalgar Square / Leicester Square / Chinatown area, hence, around the Lego Store itself by coincidence!"
Wow, I've been to all of those places and never seen tuk-tuks in London. I saw one whilst in Valencia, Spain once, but that was more a 3 wheeled car than a tuk-tuk
Yeah it looks nice, but I think it looks a bit too big for the minifig scale (even though "minifig scale" is a vague and inconsistent concept).
Overall I prefer the Taxi more, but that's simply because it is something I'm more interested in. I mean, a NYC-style taxi is a recognizable object that I can see myself putting in my city. This thing? I don't think I've ever even seen one in real life.
This is probably my favourite set of 2021 so far; reasonably priced, colourful and offbeat. I wish it was easier to put minifigures in it, or indeed that it came with one to begin with. Regardless, I hope we'll see more of this kind of thing going forward!
Your sloths should get together with Huw’s goats and have a party Megan. Haha...great pics and review, and looks like a wonderfully colorful and useful set.
This is a must have for my Ninjago city!!! I m def buying it!!! Thanks for the review!!!
This is a lovely build and looks super sitting on display. It’s nice to have a fun and colourful set that, and for the price it’s great value.
Lovely little set! Easy to build and just looks the part.
Once again, as a medieval and space collector I don't know why - but I want this set. It just looks so fun! Going to have to add it to my next LEGO.com order. ;)
@fakespacesquid said:
"I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure"
Many a night these little bad boys got me safely home after a good night out in Nairobi.
this is farrrrrr better than the yellow taxi
That windshield is tricky/clever. Took me a moment.
Either way, this set looks interesting. I had never seen one before or heard of one until this review, but I might have to add it to my wantlist as soon as it comes available again.
It's cute, but the scale is all wrong for minifigures, it's too big.
EDIT: looking up actual tuk-tuks, they're bigger than I remembered. Still looks a little large to me.
I'm not sure why this can't be minifig scale, when vehicles like the City ice cream truck and pizza van are about twice the height of a minifig.
I was able to buy this just before lockdown started, but I've been saving it to build later. It won't exactly fit with my current display but I'm thinking of making it a street food vendor to join my food truck collection on display as a street food festival (I'm sure I've seen a tuk tuk or rickshaw used for this purpose here in the UK). Maybe it'll sell different kinds of tea - masala chai, bubble tea, tea lattes...
Tuk, tuk, tuk, tuk, tuk, tuk, koose!
Also, Megan, your front tire is coming off the rim.
Great review for a gorgeous set, without parroting how it isn't minifigure-scale.
I have it loaded up with a driver in the front, just like in your images, and two figs standing up in the back simulating tourist excitement - one connected to the floor and one holding on to the sidebar.
If it were any smaller you probably would have a very hard time fitting these many figures inside.
It's very colourful for sure, and looks fun to build yet at the same time feels like a throw away MOC that a child did while waiting for dinner.
I've never been closer than a planet's width to a real tuk tuk, but I grabbed this one for the colors alone. So vibrant and fun.
I've only ever seen these on The Amazing Race (the US version of the travel reality show).
The passengers might slide off the back seat, but there's a bar there that they could hold on to.
This is a really great set, but I think the name is weird considering that it's meant to be an Indian vehicle. I know tuk tuks and auto rickshaws are the same vehicles, but I've never seen anyone refer to this vehicle as a tuk tuk in India. I just think the naming choice is a bit odd considering that LEGO explicitly calls out India in the product description and with the tiffins on the roof. I hope we see more $10 Creator vehicles like this, though!
@GoldenNinja3000 said:
"This is a really great set, but I think the name is weird considering that it's meant to be an Indian vehicle. I know tuk tuks and auto rickshaws are the same vehicles, but I've never seen anyone refer to this vehicle as a tuk tuk in India."
I visited India several years ago, and everyone around us called them tuk tuks. I had never heard of them before that trip.
I definitely need to get one of these sets, as a reminder of my trip there.
This is inventive.
I like how it's something different than the handful of vehicles Lego usually makes.
This blows the yellow taxi out of the water. The taxi is nothing special compared to this. It is not only a first model of this vehicle, but also the scale is slightly bigger than minifig scale. That doesn't happen very often in Lego. It would probably look ridiculous next to regular city vehicles and even more so next to the old 4 wide town vehicles especially the trucks, since this one would look bigger than a semi truck lol
I might have to get this one next time I place an order. I loved the tuk-tuk in 70607.
@Slobrojoe said:
" @fakespacesquid said:
"I must be out of the loop, are these super popular in Europe? I've seen a ton of people posting about how they're interested because they see/ride them all the time, but it didn't really strike me as a very British vehicle. Looks like a great set/parts pack, I've got no problems with it, but the popularity surprised me for sure"
They were originally designed in Thailand as the motorised equivalent of a rickshaw, although they were prototyped in Italy after WWII to try to rebuild city transportation. I've certainly never seen one in Britain and I doubt I ever will!"
I've never seen them in Germany either, but I have not been to Berlin. Perhaps they are popular there. There are cycle rickshaws in Frankfurt, but I have yet to find a Tuk Tuk.
Otoh, a friend of ours from Liverpool has told us many colorful stories about the adventures he has had while riding in Tuk Tuks in Thailand and Malaysia over the years.
@FASC said:
"Actually there are quite a few operating in central London"
No there aren't. The things you see in London are pedal-powered, and a tuk tuk by definition is motorised - the name is imitative of the sound the engine makes.
I've been driven around in a colourful tuk tuk like this one in the middle of Bangkok, and i can tell those drivers hardly ever slow down! Some adventure but a very effective way to visit the city.
Some moments there are so many of those tuk tuks riding that it seems like you're in the middle of a street race!
This set for only 9,99€ seems like a giveaway! A must have for every LEGO City collector!
@Baldarek said:
"Yeah it looks nice, but I think it looks a bit too big for the minifig scale (even though "minifig scale" is a vague and inconsistent concept).
Overall I prefer the Taxi more, but that's simply because it is something I'm more interested in. I mean, a NYC-style taxi is a recognizable object that I can see myself putting in my city. This thing? I don't think I've ever even seen one in real life."
I think the reason it looks too big for "minifig scale" has a lot to do with the way minifigs themselves are articulated. A minifigure sitting in the seat of this doesn't look too bad, until you realize that instead of longer legs that bend at the knees, the minifigure's stumpy legs extend straight in front of them, suspended off the "floor" of the vehicle by almost half the length of their body!
Ultimately I think it was probably smart for this set, as a Creator set focused more on the vehicle itself than its occupants, to opt for more realistic proportions (even if that renders it slightly too big for minifigures). More minifig-scaled versions of this type of vehicle have been depicted in the Lego Ninjago Movie and Monkie Kid themes, and while those have their own appeal, the almost square side profile does get a bit lost in translation.
About the only negative appears to be that it wasn't specifically designed with minifigs in mind. Otherwise, it's a great little set.
Lego has great slate of $10-20 sets for 2021.
@ricecake said:
" @GoldenNinja3000 said:
"This is a really great set, but I think the name is weird considering that it's meant to be an Indian vehicle. I know tuk tuks and auto rickshaws are the same vehicles, but I've never seen anyone refer to this vehicle as a tuk tuk in India."
I visited India several years ago, and everyone around us called them tuk tuks. I had never heard of them before that trip.
I definitely need to get one of these sets, as a reminder of my trip there."
Interesting, where did you visit? Where I lived they weren't called that. It's a really minor complaint, though - I love that LEGO made an India-based set and I hope we see more in the future!
This looks too much like a tertiary Creator build in my opinion. It looks like it's made of leftover pieces from something else.
@Norikins said:
"This looks too much like a tertiary Creator build in my opinion. It looks like it's made of leftover pieces from something else."
Ever seen a real Tuk Tuk?
This looks really good. I think it's fine with minifigs in, even if it is a bit on the large size for them. After all, a lot of Speed Champions sets aren't exactly a great fit for minifigs either.
Certainly looks a lot better than the Taxi, which looks like a cut 'n' shut of two different size and age vehicles!
Never seen one in Europe, but it reminds me of my travels to Asia. I guess that's why Europeans like it. It's a cute set! Will probably pick it up if I get a chance.
These are everywhere in Thailand. Great fun! Could do with more goats tho.
Cute build but the too-big-for-minifig scale will keep it out of my collection. It looks to be a 1.3 bricks taller on the interior height than the tuk-tuk that came with 70607 Ninjago City Chase -- plus extra height in the build outside.
@Koentinius said:
"It's cute, but the scale is all wrong for minifigures, it's too big.
EDIT: looking up actual tuk-tuks, they're bigger than I remembered. Still looks a little large to me."
I agree. I think it's a great model of a Tuk Tuk, but I think it would be better as a smaller vehicle for minifigures, maybe with a little market stall or street scene. Good review, thank you
@Lyichir said:
"Ultimately I think it was probably smart for this set, as a Creator set focused more on the vehicle itself than its occupants, to opt for more realistic proportions (even if that renders it slightly too big for minifigures). "
Seems like this would be a good set to use with Jack Stone and 4 Juniors figures!
@GoldenNinja3000:
They've made a few over the years. This isn't the first. 7199 is set in India, though it wasn't filmed there. 10189/10256 is located in India. And 7410, 7411, 7414, and 7418 were combined together in an "India" kit. Offhand I can't think of anything else that would qualify.
^ Don't worry, it can happen every night at 5am GMT-ish when the data is re-imported. It'll be sorted before you next log in.
I like this.
And here's one in Ipswich back in 2013:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26565770 @N02/8678419752/in/photolist-edTaQL
I would love to buy this as it really is beautiful, and seems good value too. But the scale issue is a deal-breaker for me. Just like the 8-wide Speed Champions it would look ridiculously oversized next to typical City vehicles and buildings. I wish it was a minifig scale vehicle with a side build in a City set, but inevitably it would not be possible to have so much fine detail in that case.
Lovely set, but clearly designed as a display piece rather than for minifig use.
@TheOriginalSimonB said:
"I like this.
And here's one in Ipswich back in 2013:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26565770 @N02/8678419752/in/photolist-edTaQL"
Link isn't working.
Very colourful, need to adapt the rear seats so that the passengers can stay on. Only previous Tuk Tuk I can find is the police car in 70607 Ninjago City Chase
The only hire vehicle is in LEGO Indiana Jones 2 game in Bangkok, but this simple brown and green vehicle from 2009 never appeared in any sets or films.
@GarethMoore said:
" @FASC said:
"Actually there are quite a few operating in central London"
No there aren't. The things you see in London are pedal-powered, and a tuk tuk by definition is motorised - the name is imitative of the sound the engine makes.
"
Sure, if you want to go the passive aggressive way :) I didn't say that there were only tuk tuks, and I also mentioned that they are less common than cycle rickshaws (what you refer to "pedal-powered"). I know what a tuk tuk is, and living in London I've seen them a few times (as well as the common cycle rickshaws). Not sure why all the attitude, jeez... Keep calm and build Legos!
Love this - it will be an addition to my city layout and will certainly pick one up when I order my Porsche...
This is awesome!
I saw these in Peru and Bolivia when I went to Machu Picchu in 2017.
I'll definitely be picking up one of these.
Great design, except there are no studs on the rear seat for minifigures. The lunch boxes also give it a bit too much height relative to other Lego City vehicles, but this is not a deal-breaker at all.
I want this set to commemorate my work trip to India, and was upset at how fast it went to backorder. Rode one in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. They called it an "auto", not a "tuk tuk", though. Maybe it's a regional difference.
Wasn't there even a chase scene involving a Tuk Tuk in one of the older James Bond movies?
@AustinPowers said:
"Wasn't there even a chase scene involving a Tuk Tuk in one of the older James Bond movies?"
Doing a quick search it appears that there was one in the Octopussy movie.
I may have to rewatch it!
Great review! This is such a cute little set that I couldn't resist picking it up to go with my Ninjago City and hopefully-soon-to-be-shipped Spring Lantern Festival.
Just got this set, it seems as if to be 1.5 minifig scale.
Tuk-tuks are also very common in Guatemala as a cheaper than taxi alternative. I've only ever seen them for hire, not as a personal vehicle. Very, very common in small to mid-sized towns all over the country.