Most of the LEGO Friends go-kart sets became available at the beginning of the month, so I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the whole collection. It’s always exciting when a new sub-theme of LEGO Friends gets released with unique locations, accessories, and mini-dolls that are outside of what the regular Heartlake City sets offer. This time, the girls participate in go-kart racing, spread out in five LEGO Friends sets. 🙂
The smallest of the LEGO Friends go-kart racing sets is the #41348 LEGO Friends Service & Care Truck. It includes one go-kart, a go-kart launcher (included in all of the sets), a speed bump, and a cute stubby-nosed tow truck that can transport the go-cart. The truck features a lowering ramp to easily maneuver the go-kart onto the truck’s bed. Characters include Olivia in a cool racing outfit with a new style crash helmet with moulded-in hair (yes, it fits regular minifigs), her robot Zobo, and Rumble the hamster. While this is a solid standalone set, it is also a great addition to some of the larger sets in the series, like the car wash and the tuning shop. 247 pieces. Price: $19.99 – BUY HERE
The #41349 LEGO Friends Drifting Diner features an old-style diner with a burger grill, a takeout window, stylized car-shaped table with bench, and a giant burger icon on the roof. Separately, there is also a drive-in movie theatre, which can double as a phone/tablet holder, so you can play real movies for your mini-dolls. I really like the colors and shaping of the diner, although it could definitely be expanded for a more complete building. Like in all of the sets, you get a go-kart, a go-kart launcher, and one of the girls (this time Andrea) in racing outfit with the new style crash helmet. The other mini-doll’s name is Dottie with a fancy new hairpiece, and we also get the bird Pepper. The diner measures over 4” (11cm) high, 4” (12cm) wide and 4” (12cm) deep. The drive-in movie theater measures over 3” (10cm) high, 3” (9cm) wide and 2” (6cm) deep. 345 pieces. Price: $29.99 – BUY HERE
The #41350 LEGO Friends Spinning Brushes Car Wash is not yet released in the U.S., but I believe it’s available in other countries already. It features a car wash where the friends from Heartlake City clean up their go-karts before the big race. You can drive the go-kart slowly through the car wash and turn the red knob to make the brush spin. There is also a gas pump and a small convenience shop with coffee machine, and a go-kart launcher. From all the go-karts in the series, this is my favorite. I really like the colors and that it has a solar panel attached at the back. Mia wears a sporty racing outfit and crash helmet, and she has her bunny Twister with her. The other mini-doll, Zack, works at the car wash. I think this is a nice set overall, and could be used as a general car wash in Heartlake City. Car wash measures over 3” (10cm) high, 10” (27cm) wide and 7” (20cm) deep. 325 pieces. Price: $29.99 – BUY HERE
The #41351 LEGO Friends Creative Tuning Shop features a showroom with sliding door function and revolving floor, lifting workshop platform, opening tool drawers and an upstairs office. The set also comes with two go-karts plus lots of extra pieces to create and customize them in all sorts of ways. This is a good set for learning how to customize the go-karts, but I feel the showroom is mostly dead space with not much going on. I would get any of the previoucs sets before this one, but you may have a different opinion. The two mini-dolls are Emma and Dean, and Chico the cat is also included. Tuning shop measures over 6” (16cm) high, 9” (25cm) wide and 2” (6cm) deep. 413 pieces. Price: $39.99 – BUY HERE
The largest of the LEGO Friends go-kart sets is the #41352 LEGO Friends The Big Race Day. It is the set that all the others are leading up to; featuring the big race day! The main race building features a downstairs changing room with lockers and a restroom, while upstairs there’s a winner’s podium and VIP lounge for all the Heartlake City pets to watch the race (included are Vega the cat, Dash the dog and Twister the rabbit). There’s a start line and a separate finish line with light and loudspeakers. The three mini-dolls are Stephanie, Mia, and Vicky in racing outfits with crash helmets, each driving their own go-karts (go-kart launcher is included for all three). The finish line using the new roller coaster track pieces is a nice touch. I also like that the audience consists of all the girls’ pets. Kids love to line up their stuffed animals to make up the audience of various action scenes! The race building measures over 9” (25cm) high, 4” (12cm) wide and 3” (9cm) deep. 648 pieces. Price: $59.99 – BUY HERE
So you can see the sets and their features better, I have included a few video-reviews and product animation in the player below.
This is a great assortment of LEGO Friends sets with a unique theme. I like the idea of go-kart racing, as it allows the introduction of a bunch of easily customizable colorful little cars in moderately priced sets. I also really like the outfits of the mini-dolls, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see LEGO fans using them in other settings. It’s a little unusual that there is no inexpensive introductory set to the theme, but the sets are fairly priced and none of them are too big or expensive. You can get just one of the sets, or mix and match them as you please. This is a well thought out and designed sub-theme of LEGO Friends with a fun subject that can be interesting to both boys and girls. You can find the sets at the LEGO Friends section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Friends go-kart sets? Are you interested in this collection? Have you gotten any of the sets already? Which one is your favorite? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below! 😉
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I wish they would release some small packs with pieces to make more go-carts. Would love to use them for kids’ birthday parties!
I have to agree with this. Some small sets extra go-carts would be great!
That’s actually a great idea! You can also make extra go-karts with pieces you have. As long as you have some wheels, it should be easy to make some more. 🙂
I like the big race set. I think it would go well with the new road playmats admin talked about a while back.
You mean these? http://thebrickblogger.com/2018/01/new-lego-city-lego-friends-playmats/. That’s a great idea! 😀
What I really like is the minidolls in those racing suits. Lots of possibilities there. The new helmets are sweet too. I like that Lego has been adding hair to a lot of their helmets and hats.
I like the added hair too! I was always feeling bad for the girls having to be bald to wear a hat or helmet! 😀
There’s still no common ordinary helmet in orange, though, so I’m a bit annoyed that we only have this orange helmet with the ponytail… Not as useful to the spacers…
There’s also been three more mini-sets produced in 2018 with two two-sided playmats each.
https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Xtra