The latest gang of LEGO® explorers have left the hustle and bustle of LEGO City to once again discover what the Arctic wilds have to offer. Past expeditions have largely focused on searching for minerals and odd frozen prehistoric creatures here and there. But the latest Arctic Explorers have gained an interest in many of the icy tundra’s wildlife. The next of the new LEGO Summer sets blends elements of previous Arctic Explorer sets and includes a trio of LEGO animals including a brand new one. So here’s a look at the LEGO City Arctic Explorer Truck and Mobile Lab.
Product Details
Set Name: Arctic Explorer Truck and Mobile Lab | Set Number: 60378 | Pieces: 489 | Theme: LEGO City
RRP: £62.99/$74.99/69.99€ | Number of Bags: Bags x 5 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Minifigures: Explorers x 4 + Adult Polar Bear & 2 x Polar Bear Cub figures
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail (August 1st in NA)
The first thing you build is a small duel purpose platform. The instructions show this section has been connected together. But you’ll notice the point of connection between the two halves is quite loose. This is because the platform can be split apart. With one half featuring a removable boulder and the other half acting as a small icey platform for the polar bears to stand. The adult polar bear isn’t new but has only previously appeared in a couple of sets, the last being back in 2018. So this set offers another chance to add one to your collection. Although the bigger bear isn’t new, her cubs are. The baby polar bear is a new animal element and you get two of them.
Unsurprisingly, almost every previous Arctic-themed LEGO City set has featured a similar sort of tracked vehicle. In terms of design, the one featured in this set is similar to the version found in the 2014 Arctic Base Camp. It uses the wider, solid plastic tracks, which thankfully are a little easier to piece together that the smaller chain links. Each set of tracks uses 22 elements, which are then set around a series of cog elements. However, there’s a hidden wheel underneath the truck, which connects to both tracks and helps to keep them moving a little more than if use the tracks moved on their own. The vehicle also features a wide plough on the front, which looks 100 times better than the normal panel element used on similar vehicles. I really like how various curved elements are used to frame the truck’s cab.
Similar to the truck, past Arctic sets have also featured variations of an on-site laboratory container. The one found in this set is one of the smallest, which makes it quite cramped. Despite the lack of space, the interior has a few details including some Octan Energy-branded power cells and a PC which features an odd-looking sticker. It shows a polar bear, which is fine, but the graphic looks more like it’s from the Friends sets. The lab has a walkway, which doubles up as a connection point between the lab and the truck. It’s a little clunky but this part of the build uses some unusual connection elements. I really like the use of the large arch elements around the lab’s windows. They are very similar to the wheel arches found on the Technic Land Rover but are much smaller and lack the Technic pin holes.
As mentioned in other LEGO City set reviews, although the named characters have been dropped from the sets, the fun-looking characters continue. The set features four minifigures, all in suitable gear for a cold and snowy environment. The mixture of legs and torsos matches the colour scheme used for the vehicles and equipment used by the Arctic Explorers. The stand-out minifigure for me is the bearded chap, who’s also sporting a furry collar, he has some strong explorer vibes and could easily wrestle the polar bears if he needed to.
Overall
Although this set incorporates aspects previously seen in the LEGO City range, it’s different enough to be an interesting set in its own right. It’s especially interesting thanks to the inclusion of the three polar bears. It’s been a while since the adult bear was featured in a set and it’s great to see a new animal element introduced in the polar bear cubs. The tracked truck looks great and I like the use of a hidden tyre to help turn the two tracked runners. The Mobile Lab is a little cramped but it still offers an additional play element to enjoy.
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These sets were provided to BricksFanz.com by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
