Review: 41116 Olivia's Exploration Car
Posted by MeganL,There has been a number of Friends vehicles - Beach Buggy, Convertible, Roadster, and so on. How does the Exploration Car rate, or is it just another vehicle?
The box shows Olivia with her car, as well as other props and a small observatory. This shows Olivia's predilection for science, which was started way back in the first wave of Friends sets with the 3933 Invention Workshop. This set shows Olivia's interest in astronomy.
What originally drew me to the set was the atomic symbol I saw on the side of the observatory on the box art. I realize that for the purposes of this set, the symbol is intended to represent the solar system, but I think "atomic symbol" when I see it, so I will continue to refer to it that way.
Once getting it home, I was delighted to notice that the symbol is also on the hood of the car and on Olivia's torso as well. It has a heart in the middle and hearts representing the atoms or planets. I have mixed feelings about this. I love that something so clearly science-y is such a strong theme in the set, but I'm disappointed that LEGO felt that they had to make the symbol "girly" by adding so many hearts. I don't think girls (or anyone, for that matter) would be turned off by the symbol if there weren't hearts there.
Opening the box you find four unnumbered bags, an instruction booklet and a small sticker sheet. Three of the stickers are for the aforementioned atomic symbol, so I have no problem with these stickers!
Olivia is dressed in the previously mentioned shirt with atomic symbol with the heart in the middle. Best I can tell this is the first appearance of this shirt, and I hope it won't be the last.
There seems to be several new parts in this set, including a purple laptop, a post-it note and several new parts in that lovely shade of blue, Dark Azure. Some of these parts you will see in other sets in this wave.
The first build is an easel with astronomical chart that comes with a magnifying glass, and a Post-It note with a handwritten list. I can't quite make out the first line of the sticky note, but the second might say "Mars?". Perhaps it's the influence of the set that makes me want to see that?
Next up is a treetop observatory complete with a telescope. The back of the packaging indicates that the telescope can move up and down, but what the packaging doesn't indicate all that clearly is that the entire platform that the telescope is on can rotate, allowing Olivia to change her view as necessary depending on the stars she is looking for. The final touch of the observatory are two more stickers, both of them the atomic symbol.
Then comes the car itself which has space for two, so Olivia can have a friend explore with her and share her astronomical adventures. The build itself is straightforward build with a sticker for a dashboard display, a bumper sticker for the front bumper (a heart atomic symbol, mercifully without all the hearts), a sticker for the hood (a larger atomic symbol). There is cargo space in the back for Olivia to store all of her gear (in this case, the rather large laptop).
The final part of construction is the robot Zobo, who is very cute and comes with a coffee cup. Zobo is similar to the robot from 3933 Invention Workshop but I like Zobo better than the earlier version.
Overall thoughts
This is a great little set. The piece count for the price (185-pieces for $14.99) is excellent, especially when you consider the new parts in Dark Azure and the other new elements that are found in this wave, such as the Post-It note and the purple laptop. While there are a few stickers, I absolutely love that they are science based and are a recurring theme through the set, though personally I could do without the hearts. With the emblem being used on Olivia's top, I'm hopeful this is a symbol we will see in other sets in the future. I hope we see Zobo in the future as well. There are lots of play opportunities here.
I think this rates quite well against the other Friends vehicle sets. One of the things I really like about smaller Friends sets is that there's always a story to go along with the core reason for the set, in this case the observatory and astronomy props to accompany the car. The science angle is a huge plus for me, one that I hope continues.
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21 comments on this article
The top appears to reflect the t-shirts all the girls wear in the "Kate's Island" Lego Friends animation (although it is smaller and without the hearts in that)
It looks like a great little set - it will certainly be a purchase in this household!
"easel with astrological chart" - nope. It's astronomical. Astrology has nothing to do with science.
But a nice set indeed, one of the first ones I had to get this year.
very nice. I might consider getting this set!
My guess is the "girlified" atomic logo is for the Heartlake Science Club or something. I have never watched the show, but to me that is an easy way to explain the hearts.
It doesn't really bother me either way, this is a set I didn't know existed, but is suddenly one I am considering picking up.
Thanks for the review!
@cimddwc: You're absolutely right. Don't know why it's there, since I use the appropriate word later in the review. I'll blame auto correct :-)
@CCC: Astrology only cares about the ecliptic constellations - mostly by name, not by their actual position, which changes over time -, not the other constellations on that chart; also, I don't think there's any astrologer nowadays who uses telescopes or robots for their work.
I've now corrected it.
The printing on the minidoll's torso looks lop-sided to me. Should it centered? Or centered on her heart?
The "Heart" is Olivia's symbol. So, that would explain why there are hearts within the atomic logo on her shirt.
Each LEGO Friends main character has her own symbol:
Andrea's is a Music Note. Stephanie's is a Star. Mia's is a Paw Print. Emma's is a Flower.
:-)
Question: why are Friends' hands fixed while minifigures' can pivot? Seems like a no-brainer.
Olivia is clearly a fan of Firestorm.
I think the post it says
Ian :)
Mae?
I don't think the current Minidoll design allows for movable hands. Their arms are already pretty thin as it is.
Picked this up for my daughter--so far, Olivia is my fav character. Inventing workshop, observatory--yay science geek Olivia! The observatory and physics symbology are what sold me on this one.
@Maxximus: I can answer that. LEGO Friends designers Astrid and Fenella did a presentation at BrickFair Virginia in 2012, and among other things they showed a prototype version of the LEGO Friends arms that DID have rotating hands like minifigure arms. But apparently a lot of girls they tested it with disliked this version of the arms because it made it look like the figures were always wearing long, puffy sleeves, which would look awkward in outfits that were supposed to be sleeveless, short-sleeved, or form-fitting. So the arm and hand were made one piece.
In some other brands of toy figure like Playmobil, outfits that have sleeves include rotating hands and outfits that are sleeveless do not.
Anyway, since science and learning has always been Olivia's hobby, it's great to have another set that reflects this. Her new outfit is fashionable, and Zobo looks adorable. The older robot design in Olivia's Invention Workshop reminded me a lot of Alpha Rex from LEGO Mindstorms NXT. The similarity isn't quite as strong here, but it's still a great robot design!
The treetop observatory is very cool and is the kind of thing I'm sure I'd have loved having as a kid! The car is also a great design; love the radio and license plate stickers! And the star chart really helps complete the set. :) Thanks for the review!
The wheelbase is too short and the car,due to this fact the car looks cartoonish...:(
I love this set, it's like a Friends version of the Female Scientists Idea set that no one could ever find. Plus it's nice to see that the price per piece of the whole theme has fallen since the first year.
LONG LIVE FRIENDS!
I don't like the car's three-color paint scheme, (and I fail to see how Olivia could be old enough to drive; she doesn't look a day over fourteen!) but the first thing can be fixed with a little help from BrickLink and Olivia isn't the only underaged driver in Heartlake City! Everything else is quite appealing, especially the astronomical chart (crescent moon and all) and the design of the observatory. Thank you for pointing these details out in the review!
Nice review!
This is just so cool! On my must buy list. The new Friends' sets are lovely! Wonderful designs and colors, and the minidolls are perfect. No wonder why so many folks like these sets.
Should of included an alternate star chart for the southern hemisphere.
Well... I do like the set for the most part, but... putting hearts on the atomic symbol is very obnoxious, and the car, like EVERY SINGLE Friends car, has very wonky proportions. So I'll definitely pass on this.