LEGO Technic 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader review

LEGO Technic 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader packs in various features for a neat all-rounder Technic set.

42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader is quite a mouthful to say, which is perhaps only to be expected for the amount of functionality you get from the 973-piece set. Every Technic set has dynamic features under the bodywork, but 42209 really puts them to work. Is the result an overcrowded set, or a rewarding build? Let's find out.

42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader

Release: Jun 1, 2025

Retiring: Dec 31, 2027

Price: £89.99 / $119.99 / €99.99

Pieces: 973

Minifigures: 0

The centrepiece of 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader is undoubtedly the clever mechanisms that go into the movable bucket, which is saved until last in the build experience. That's not to say that the rest of the build is dull – far from it. However, any appreciation for the nifty way the suspension comes together and the details that go into the cabin interior are eclipsed by the clever inner workings of the scoop.

Built in sections, the arm is put together slowly, so you can fully appreciate and understand what each section does. If you're building Technic sets to learn about and appreciate engineering, 42209 nails this concept perfectly, so that when you finally attach the bucket itself, you feel like a proud parent.

Admittedly, the function itself has some drawbacks in practice. The arm and bucket is only movable using the knobs at the rear of the truck, with two for managing the height and angle of the bucket itself, and the third for turning the loader. However, if you want to quickly switch between having the bucket at its highest point and then lowest, it takes a lot of slow turning to get it into position. Perhaps an ability to manually push it down to quickly switch between modes would have been welcome, especially as this set is at a price point where it might suit younger builders.

Nonetheless, the three functions do allow for a lot of flexibility in how you can pose and use the loader. Plus, the pay-off for not having a manual way to move the loader is that it can actually hold some weight – a smartphone can be placed in the bucket without tipping over the whole set, which is a pretty impressive feat for something under 1,000 pieces.

Turning to the rest of the loader, 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader manages to make Technic elements look polished, leaning into the pins and empty holes to recreate real-life details, like attachment spaces and bodywork. While most of the details are stickered, there aren't so many that it becomes a chore, and there are some neat brick-built details for the interior, with special mention going to the buildable seats.

The fact that the functions stretch the length of the loader, with the arm at the front and the knobs at the back, does mean that it makes for a fiddly build. Different interactive parts are layered on top of one another, which makes for a slightly unstable build throughout most of the process. Thankfully, it all comes together in the end but it does require some patience throughout the middle portion of the build experience.

Nonetheless, 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader delivers an excellent new addition to the construction Technic family that's well-suited to all experience levels.

Our honest opinion: 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader delivers a neat construction set, though one you'll need to have patience with.

This LEGO set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO via one of our affiliate links – thank you.