Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder review

We’ve counted, and the brand-new Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder is the eleventh version of the X-34 Landspeeder to come from Lego. Granted, some of those previous models have been tiny micro-builds or appeared as part of a larger set, but that’s still a lot of iterations.

The newest version, this 18+ UCS (Ultimate Collector’s Series) model, finally gives Luke Skywalker’s iconic vehicle the treatment it deserves. It’s huge, it’s packed with details, and it deserves a prized position in any Lego Star Wars collector’s display.

Lego has captured the detail of the X-34 wonderfully, from its rounded cockpit to its broken engine and slightly battered appearance. It’s eye-catching, thanks to its unusual burnt orange color (which Lego calls ‘nougat’), and it also includes an exclusive C-3PO minifigure.

What’s most likely to pique the attention of Lego Star Wars fans though, is Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder’s price tag. While recent UCS sets have been as high as $799.99 (the giant 6,785-piece AT-AT), this one is a comparably reasonable $199.99. It’s still not exactly cheap, but for a model as solid and as exciting to build as this, it’s a price we don’t mind paying.

If it’s a bargain you’re after, may we suggest you check out our round-up of Lego Star Wars deals? You can also browse our picks of the current best Lego Star Wars sets out there.

Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder: Build

• A varied and enjoyable build, for the most part
• Putting the three engines together can get a little repetitive
• Instructions are extremely clear

Split up into 11 bags, the first thing you’ll notice when building the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder is how methodical it is. The first bag has us building a rectangular frame and then every stage following is simply adding more to that frame, creating something extremely sturdy and solid in the process.

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You likely won’t be able to tell what the model is going to be until at least bag four, however. A jumble of colours and seemingly randomly-placed bricks gives little away. It’s not until you build the base of the seats and the steering column in bag three that you get a hint that this might be a vehicle.

Of course, none of those bricks are randomly placed. Everything has a purpose, and here it’s never been more clear. This is an impressively solid Lego model that never feels at risk of falling apart when you pick it up or move it around. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise – you’d expect something sturdy at a $200 price point – but as we’ve seen with the Razor Crest and other models, fragility is notably common. Thankfully, Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder never even hints at being fragile.

Thanks to wonderfully clear instructions, every stage of building Luke’s Landspeeder is great fun. Despite being an 18+ set, the instruction book remains simple and concise, never instructing you to place too many pieces in one go. It means it’s really easy to follow and despite this being a huge model, we’re confident younger builders should be able to enjoy it with minimal supervision.

There are some great building techniques on display here. We loved the use of plastic dowels to attach the side engines, for example. Better than using standstand Technic lugs, it ensures a stronger connection as the dowels go deeper into each side of the model.

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Unfortunately, there’s a little repetition when it comes to building the three engines of the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder. You’ll build the broken engine first, complete with its exposed wiring and mechanics. Next is the in-tact engine to sit on the other side of the ship, and finally the central engine that sits on top. 

Thankfully, Lego has varied the construction of each a little, so each engine isn’t a complete replica of each other. This is perhaps the slowest part of the build, but aside from the stand they’re the last things to do. So, once you’re finished with them, you’ve got a fantastic finished model to admire.

Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder: Design

• Sticker usage is disappointing
• The included stand is excellent
• Best Lego Landspeeder by far

Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder is an iconic vehicle from the Star Wars universe, and as such it deserves to be treated with love and respect. Lego has done a great job over the years replicating it in various sizes, but none come close to the accuracy and attention-to-detail of ths UCS Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder. 

Where to even start with the design of this set? The curved edges are perhaps our favorite, something cleverly achieved by layering together sloped bricks and curved plates. That instantly makes it stand out amongst the crowd; Lego models – and Star Wars ships in particular – tend to be angular by their very nature.

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The curves continue into the cockpit, which is adorned with a unique and specially-made rounded windscreen. It’s worth noting that inside the box, you’ll find this windscreen in a package all of its own, preventing it from getting scratched. It means it should be glossy and shiny the minute you unpack it, and it looks stunning when placed in position on the Landspeeder.

As has become common with 18+ sets and UCS models in particular, Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder comes complete with a purpose-built display stand. It includes an information plaque, along with a space for the two included minifigures – Luke and C-3PO – to stand. 

Made largely out of black Technic pieces, it’s not much to look at, but it provides a sturdy stand. And, with the Landspeeder securely fitted in place (there are two purpose-built cavities on the underside of the vehicle into which the stand neatly slots) it really does make for a seriously impressive display piece.

The only reservation we have about the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder is its use of stickers. Yes, stickers are constantly a bugbear amongst Lego builders, but particularly so in more expensive, made-for-adults sets. Here, they’re used to add a dark red stripe to the engines along with some edging around the front of the Landspeeder. Badly-placed stickers could quite easily ruin the aesthetics, and we don’t think you’d lose anything by leaving them off altogether.

Should you buy Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder?

Yes, you should absolutely buy the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder. This is one of our favorite Lego Star Wars models of recent years, perfectly balancing detail, build quality, and price. Perhaps it’s not quite as impressive in scale as the 7,541 piece Millennium Falcon, but it’s also a quarter of the price. 

This is the cheapest currently-available Ultimate Collector’s Series set by a long margin (the next being the $350 Republic Gunship) and we know which one we’d rather buy. (Hint: it’s the Landspeeder.)

Other Lego Star Wars sets to consider

If money is no object, you may want to add to your Ultimate Collector’s Series collection. There’s the giant AT-AT, standing tall at 25 inches. Or there’s the longer-than-your-coffee-table Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer, measuring 43 inches and costing an eye-watering $699.99/£614.99.

If you’re looking for something more reasonably priced but still impressive to look at, the Death Star Trench Run Diorama is a fantastic display piece, as are its sister sets, the Trash Compactor and Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama. In terms of other galactic vehicles, the Imperial Light Cruiser (from The Mandalorian) provides an impressive build, and if you feel like giving the Imperial forces some representation, the $40 TIE Fighter is a steal.