LEGO Reviews Technic42109

App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car

Name: LEGO App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car 42109
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 42109
Rating: 4.73 (984 reviews)

44 · SKIP ITINVESTMENT GRADE: C2019463 pcsHigh agreement · 90%

Expert reviews

2analyzed

Owner ratings

984

Consensus

SKIP

BrickScore

Skip It

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"Despite a surface-level Amazon rating of 4.73, the App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car earns its Skip It BrickScore of 44.4: at $0.281 per piece with slow RC performance, a simple build, and LEGO.com owners rating value at just 2.72 out of 5, the premium price is very hard to justify."

The App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car (42109) lands in Skip It territory with a BrickScore of 44.4, and the data behind that verdict is unusually clear-cut. Expert consensus placed value, display, design aesthetics, and playability all between 25 and 30 out of 100, reflecting a broad view that $129.99 for 463 pieces ($0.281 per piece) is very difficult to justify when the build is simple, the car is slow, and the model looks better in promotional photos than in person. Yet 984 owner ratings average 4.73 out of 5, driven largely by Amazon reviews, creating a stark divergence. LEGO.com owners tell a starkly different story: only 64% say they would recommend it, and value-for-money averages just 2.72 out of 5.

Where they split: The expert-versus-owner split here is significant. The 4.73 Amazon-weighted average is heavily inflated by buyers who received it as a gift or approached it as a novelty. When filtered to LEGO.com buyers (3.71 average) and would-recommend rate (64%), the picture aligns far more closely with the Skip It verdict. The BrickScore of 44.4 reflects the expert consensus, which is the more reliable signal for this type of set.

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LOVED (6)

01App connectivity and Bluetooth control genuinely fun for owners who expected a casual RC experience rather than a performance car
02Interesting differential mechanism, praised as among the sturdier Technic cars released
03Engaging build process with a few techniques owners had not encountered before
04Easy-to-use Powered Up app with multiple control configurations including tilt steering
05Good topic appeal for Top Gear fans and families who watch the show together
06Surprisingly usable indoors given its moderate speed

CRITICIZED (7)

01Very steep price: $129.99 for 463 pieces is $0.281 per piece, with most of the cost attributed to the two motors and Bluetooth hub
02Build is simple and fast (roughly 2 hours) for a set at this price, lacking the gears, springs, and mechanical depth expected of premium Technic
03Top speed is widely described as disappointingly slow for an RC vehicle
04Front wheel alignment issues reported across multiple units, causing the car to veer left
05Panels not properly attached to the chassis in some areas, creating a fragile-feeling body
06Design aesthetics score just 25; display value scores 25 as the model relies heavily on stickers for its appearance
07App does not support a light function despite the hub having four ports

What reviewers are saying

"I think this set is a few years too late. For me, Top Gear died after the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in 2015."

Rebrickable Reviews

"No doubt, this small black box is the sole reason to purchase the set."

The Brothers Brick

Ecosystem

42100-1 Liebherr R 9800 Excavator — Both use Control+ app system; reviewer found 42100-1 works better with app because excavators don't require speed, but app still became a friction point (requires phone, storage, updates) and 42100-1 ended up unused.

42099-1 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader — Also uses Control+ app; off-roader function masks slow speed better than rally car, so expectations are not disappointed in same way.

42095-1 — Same design philosophy: low part count to offset expensive electronic components; minimal Technic engagement.

42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader — The 42099 is superior; it was released in August 2019 and introduced 'magical' one-touch control and more sophisticated play mechanisms. The reviewer expected the 42109 to borrow these innovations but was disappointed. The 42099 offers significantly more value for money.

TechnicTier 2Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 2

Avg score

Consensus

SKIP

Rebrickable Reviews

Editorial Source

WAIT FOR SALE

"I think this set is a few years too late. For me, Top Gear died after the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in 2015."

Key Pros

✓Clean rally car aesthetic
✓Control+ app allows continuous updates and expanded play
✓New differential is mechanically elegant and easier to assemble

Key Cons

✕Simple, minimal build with little Technic engagement
✕Set price inflated by expensive Control+ components

READ FULL REVIEW

The Brothers Brick

Expert Video Source

SKIP

"No doubt, this small black box is the sole reason to purchase the set."

Key Pros

✓Cheap entry point to the new Powered Up motor system
✓Simple, robust, and compact chassis perfect as a platform for custom remote-controlled cars
✓No complicated parts; accessible for inexperienced builders

Key Cons

✕Multicolored patchwork design with inconsistent panel orientation
✕Stickers are visually confusing and clash with the model's color scheme

JUMP TO REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (0)Wait for sale (1)

Exclusivity

Rebrickable Reviews: Wide retail release; not exclusive.

The Brothers Brick: Limited. The Powered Up motors are included in multiple sets (42099, 42100, 42109), and the motors themselves can be purchased separately. The set is widely available in retail.

Resale

Rebrickable Reviews: Uncertain; limited by app dependency and average engagement out-of-the-box, but Control+ scarcity may provide some secondary market value.

The Brothers Brick: Poor. The set is described as an expensive toy with limited play value compared to alternatives. No strong aftermarket demand is anticipated.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

Standout parts (per reviewers)

65414 and 65413 differentials
New differential design that simplifies assembly compared to previous 3-gear bevel system; uses a slot-based gearbox that no longer requires hand-coordination to keep gears in place during build.
24116 (Red) and 42531 (White) Control+ motors
New colors for Control+ elements; 42531 in Red had been in 2 other sets prior. These are relatively rare parts.
New differential casing with 5 gears instead of 3
The new casing houses 5 gears, 3 of which are set at an angle relative to each other, designed to handle the pressure from new Powered Up motors' torque.
Red angled gear with 28 teeth
A new specific gear designed for use with the new casing; because of the clearance hole, the gear can't be used with cross axles to transfer rotation. This part serves as a 'lid' concealing the gears inside.
Small tan gears (5-tooth constellation)
First introduced in 1993, still used in the new differential mechanism. The design is so simple and universal that it didn't require any updates to fit into the new mechanism.
New Powered Up motors
Among the most powerful LEGO motors to date, producing a ton of torque. The set is primarily purchased as the cheapest functional model to try out the new motorization.

What Owners Say · summarized from 40 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners love the build experience and app connectivity, but the car's sluggish speed, steering reliability issues, high price, and lack of complexity disappoint for a premium Technic set.

COMMON PRAISE