Review: #60440 LEGO Delivery Truck
It’s been 14 years since the last LEGO delivery truck — let’s find out if a higher level of detail made possible using modern parts makes this set worth the high price of admission.
#60440 LEGO Delivery Truck is a great way to get a large number of pieces in 24Bright YellowYellow, and get a cool building project in the process. While it is a classic LEGO color, it is not a color that we see in many modern LEGO sets and I don’t have a lot of pieces in this color in my collection. Rather, it is commonly used a secondary accent color to bring out details.
Given the steep price for a set containing just one vehicle, I’m eager to see if this set will be iconic and sought, or skipped due to the high cost and forgotten.
The original LEGO City Truck
#60440 LEGO Delivery Truck is not the first time we have seen a 24Bright YellowYellow LEGO Delivery Truck, with set number 3221 released in 2010 resembling this one very closely. In the nearly two decades since this original set’s release, it is evident that the pieces available in LEGO’s arsenal has drastically improved, allowing for more detailed techniques and adding more details.
While the two sets are relatively similar in size and style, it is important to note that the current iteration of the delivery truck comes with nearly quadruple the number of parts of the original, and is priced three times as high. This only goes to show how part count alone is not indicative of a set’s value or quality, as smaller parts can drive more details but through more usage drives both parts and price count up. Everything from the color to the cargo are paid homage to in the modern rendition of this set, with the current version being a large improvement over the original.
About the set
Releasing on the 1st of June 2024, #60440 LEGO Delivery Truck is large, sized at over 4 inches (10cm) high, 18.5 inches (47cm) long and 2.5 inches (7cm) wide, spanning longer than one and a half 32 stud base plates. Coming with 1061 pieces and priced at $99.99 (£89.99/€99.99), this set comes at a price per piece of 9.4c (8.5p/9.4c) and comes with four minifigures.
When I first saw pictures of this set I didn’t realize how large this truck is, and when putting together you can really see its scale come to play. The set itself highlights the delivery truck and makes use of beautiful printed parts, but also comes with a number of small side to help enhance the scene, creating a full experience. While this set is ornamented with both brick built and printed details, there are a few stickers included in this set, but these are the minority, with it being used in two places.
Side Builds
To help enhance the scene and to add some items to your city, there are two included side builds that complement the set. The first build is a hot dog stand and sign. The first thing I noticed when building this is the sticker used for the sign. For those who have frequented the cafeteria of American wholesale store Costco, the sticker may look familiar. The iconic $1.99 Costco hot dog and a soda are displayed as part of this sticker, a playful homage to this popular (yet unhealthy) meal. With it being a simple side build, the designers did not waste pieces, with us getting all the details we need in as few pieces as possible. Ketchup and mustard containers use only four pieces, these being two 21Bright RedRed and 24Bright YellowYellow 1×1 Round Brick and utilizing a 1×1 Round Plate w/ Bar to resemble the nozzle of the container. Although simple the build is immediately recognizable. Through uses of 2×2 Dome in 21Bright RedRed and 2x2x⅔ Curved in 5Brick YellowTan pieces the stand is built to resemble a hot dog, fitting given that this is a hot dog stand. The only thing this is missing is a hot dog suit minifigure
The second build is a forklift. This detailed build could be a $5 polybag set in itself, being packed with details that allow you to load items into the truck. The forklift tyne can actually be raised or lowered through use of an elastic band, allowing you to actually load cargo into the truck. The height of the entire build is perfectly aligned to the height of the truck, allowing for an interactive play experience. The 21Bright RedRed color contrasts to the 24Bright YellowYellow of the main truck, allowing it to not only be visible but adds a different look.
The Tractor
The truck itself is built in two parts, with the tractor being its own section and a trailer behind it. Both builds are designed as stand alone builds and are built across their own instruction manuals, allowing you to have a side by side building experience should another person want to build the second half. Each of the two halves can be connected through use of a Technic Axle w/ Towball piece that rests as part of the trailer. When looking at the tractor the first thing I have to say is wow. The build itself is smooth and finished, utilizing a large number of slopes and tiles to get a tile-less texture for the build. This is done using mostly studs on side construction, and through utilizing the different depths and sizes of pieces we don’t get a uniform flat surface, instead having it gradually taper as it gets closer to the front. While there are a large number of detail in the build itself something that stands out is the inclusion of steps through use of a 1×2 Panel. Everything from the grille to the headlamps to even the mirrors are well though of and shows the care the designers put into this set. It is such a clean build and probably the nicest vehicle finish I have seen.
To add even more details the hood of the tractor can be popped open to display an exposed engine. As I would not call myself a motor vehicle expert I cannot comment on the accuracy of this mini build, but even just the thought behind including this and allowing it to be opened up shows the care taken by the designers.
At the rear of the tractor is a door that opens into a sleeping space for the driver. This space is common in freight trucks as the drivers often drive long distances to deliver their cargo. The interior of this space can be difficult to see so in the image below I have removed the side panel giving you a closer look at the inside. The removal of this side panel also shows off how the designers were able to accomplish the smooth tile exterior finish. The interior is nothing too detailed but just the inclusion of it highlights some accuracy to real world trucker experiences and shows off how difficult of a job this can be. On the television on the wall you can see a tiger, whether or not this is a tiger feed for the recording of the tiger in the summer wave of Jungle Explorer sets, most notably #60426 Jungle Explorer Off-Road Truck, is up for discussion, but this reference is a nice touch.
The goal of the back is to create a space for the trailer to attach but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to look finished and detailed. As the tractor can be displayed and played with as a stand alone build the designers took care to ensure that every side is finished and has details. Everything from piping to a medical kit and even a fire extinguisher can be found at the back, each with vibrant colors that contrast against the 199Dark Stone GreyDark Bluish Gray tile that makes up the rest of the rear. While small, the use of a Whip piece in 21Bright RedRed for the piping was creative piece usage, not only adding color but a fun shape due to the flexibility of the piece. It is clear that the designer leveraged a lot of reference materials as even the small inclusion of mud flaps behind the wheels was well thought of and makes this a realistic looking vehicle.
The Trailer
The second half of the build is the trailer that sits behind the tractor. Unlike the dense packed build in the tractor we are instead met with a very open build for the second half, allowing for a lot of space to hold all the cargo. The trailer itself is built intwo three compartments, each of which sized to fit different cargo that we build later. While the interior will likely remain hidden for most, the designers ensured to use tiles to finish off all the surfaces, ensuring for a smooth finish. The use of 1×2 Gold Bar pieces placed along the centre allow for support to hold the wood palettes that we build later in place.
The base of the trailer, although hidden, is packed to the brim with colorful pieces. The designers have likely done this to not only flush out your parts collection should you take this set apart, but also to make it easy to see as you are building. These colors while contrasting with the rest of the build are all covered once the trailer’s top half is attached. Along the side of the base, the designers once again leverage a studs on side construction to give a tile finish, adding continuity to the structure we build above.
As we add the exterior detailing we see the main 24Bright YellowYellow color emphaszied again on the roof and all exterior exposed sections. While the side of the truck does a great job at having a smooth feel, the designers added variety on the roof by instead allowing for exposed studs along the outer edge, this creates a nice boundary and breaks what would otherwise be a very long and uneventful flat surface. While mostly used for the hinges of the door, the 1×2 Plate, 1-Pin Hole, Top piece that runs along the centre part of the roof of each compartment also adds detail in the form of curvature and depth. While I am not sure if intentional I like how from a distance this breaks up what could be monotony.
While the detailing accomplished through bricks are stars of this set, the printed tiles elevate it even further. Modeled after the designs on real LEGO delivery trucks, we see four large printed 8×16 Tile pieces used to close up the space. There is no way this level of detailing could be accomplished by bricks alone, an while initially I was expecting a sticker I am glad the designers went with prints instead as this elevates the set immensely. The printed LEGO logo on a 4×4 Tile is another great use of a sticker, and is one I am sure will be in high demand when available on bricks and pieces.
While a very small inclusion, the designers wanted to make sure that the trailer on its own is able to stand upright, and as a result the trailer includes landing gear that can be raised or lowered. Through this the weight of the truck, and due to the fact the wheels are on the back, we will not have the trailer tip forward every time we detach it from the tractor. Such a small addition that adds a lot to the set in terms of versatility.
The large printed doors sit on hinges allowing them to be opened up to display the cargo within. Each compartment has enough space to hold two palettes worth of cargo, in the case of this set that being LEGO sets. Although the truck has contents there is still a lot of space to store more so should you wish to enhance this set or include more cargo there is space to do so. Unlike the original set which didn’t have doors that could open displaying the contents of the truck, the designers took great care and effort to ensure that everything about this truck is detailed, especially given that you can display it opened or closed.
The cargo that the truck holds are LEGO sets. While the bulk of the volume of the cargo is built up using 23Bright BlueBlue bricks and tiles, the designers used smooth printed tiles at the top to showcase the sets. Included in the cargo are four different LEGO boxes printed on tiles, each resembling a real life set. With this set having four palettes of cargo the designers have included a whopping 6 of each printed tile, totalling 24. In the past we have seen LEGO sets come in the form of stickers so seeing them as prints was a surprise here. Another great win for this set. While the printed tiles are likely what captures ones’ attention with the cargo it is worth highlighting the wooden palletes they rest on. The forklift that we built earlier can pick up these palettes and load them into the trailer, showing that this was not just a cosmetic decision to rest them on palettes, but also one that is groudned in realism and encourages play.
Minifigures
Where the builds and prints shine, the figures themselves are rather generic. Despite it being a LEGO delivery truck the attire of the loaders and driver do not have any LEGO branding, and while the iconic 24Bright YellowYellow torsos of the retail employee minifigures would not fit directly in this scene it would be great if we saw one in this set. All the torsos are printed with exclusive to date prints being included in this set, however they feel generic. None of the figures have lego or arm printing, which while not a miss is still worth calling out as they have been seen in other non licensed sets. As the focus is on the vehicle the designers likely made concessions with the minifigures and while they fit the scene and get the job done, they don’t blow me away.
Conclusion
When I first got this truck I have to say that while neat it didn’t blow me away. Only after building did I come to appreciate all the details of this vehicle. While the minifigure lineup is weak, something that can be the case with generic city figures, the inclusions of a ton of printed pieces, including some very large ones and a detailed truck makes up for it. Although the price may give you sticker shock, you do get a lot with this set, especially given its size. In an era of stickers it is great that the designers decided to pack this build with printed pieces to enhance this build further, with this set containing over 30 printed tiles, many of which are exclusive to this set.
Although my first impression was not the strongest, this set is a great example of why I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. This set deserves a strong 4/5 Stars (Recommended) and is worth picking up, especially if you can get it on sale.
Costco has this set online while supplies last for $69.99. 8/24/24
Fun to see City cargo standards do not change over time, same 4×6 palletes as back in 7733, 7734 sets. Although the scale does not match minifigures (real-life pallet is 80cm x 120cm which gives us 1:25 scale against 1:43 minifigure) it is playable and looks great. The consistancy they have so that you can take your 7733 and load up the 60440 is awesome
I wood love to add this to my collection on my self