Lego Harry Potter: Flying Ford Anglia review

The Lego Harry Potter Flying Ford Anglia (76424) depicts one of the most famous scenes, not just in the Chamber of Secrets, but the Wizarding World in general. When Harry and Ron fail to make it through the magical barrier at Platform 9 3/4, they’re forced to take the Weasley family’s flying car to Hogwarts, resulting in a thrilling set piece with Harry hanging off the car door as they attempt to catch up with the Hogwarts Express. The magical joyride ends when they reach the school grounds and crash-land in the Whomping Willow.

This certainly isn’t the first time Lego has turned out the magical motor, but it’s the first time it’s been available as a standalone set. Previous incarnations have been side-builds in larger sets, such as the Hogwarts Express (4841) and most recently, 4 Privet Drive (75968). And while this incarnation is admittedly very similar, it’s still an upgrade. It’s also extremely affordable, making it one of the best cheap Lego sets available in the Harry Potter range.

I think it’s a set that the Lego Harry Potter theme has been crying out for in recent years, due to the flying Ford being notably absent in both the mammoth Hogwarts Express – Collectors’ Edition (76405) – one of the best Lego sets for adults – and the Hogwarts Express Train Set with Hogsmeade Station (76423).

If you’re a Harry Potter fan with silver sickles to burn, this cheap and cheerful licensed set is definitely worth considering.

Specs

Lego Harry Potter Flying Ford Anglia (76424) specs:

Design

This model is based on the 1966 Ford Anglia 105E that appeared in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie. The prototype’s curvaceous design is very difficult to replicate in brick form, with the model’s boxy appearance pretty much unavoidable at this scale. Still, Lego has done a good job at rounding off the bonnet slightly and attempting to match the Anglia’s characterful front grill.

A notable change from the cars in the 4 Privet Drive and Hogwarts Whomping Willow sets is the lack of relief on the roof. And while the prototype does indeed have a curved roof, I think the flat, tiled roof on the new model looks better. Especially when compared to the Whomping Willow Anglia, which ended up with two completely inaccurate 1 x 1 tiles jutting off the back of the roof.

An arguable downgrade is the lack of passenger-side windows, which were present on the previous two models. The problem is, I’m not sure either of those models had an eloquent enough solution, which is why I’m guessing the designers chose to omit the side windows altogether. The interior has also received a notable upgrade, with an oversized steering wheel – as per the era – and a stickered dashboard.

Perhaps the biggest change is the blue coloring, which is ever so slightly lighter than previous sets. And while it could perhaps be even lighter, it’s a marked improvement. Elsewhere, things are very familiar. You have a nice hinged boot with provision for a suitcase. Some rather neat 1 x 1 tiles with clips that double as wing mirrors. And printed doors that line up with white tiles to create the car’s trademark white pinstripe.

The set comes with three stickers, two for number plates and one for the dashboard. It’s a bit of a clown car too, with just enough room to fit Ron, Harry, Hedwig and Scabbers. Although Scabbers really does have to be stuffed in there loose and it takes quite a bit of trial and error getting everyone seated. But when you consider the size of the set, I have no complaints.

Two minifigures is what you’d expect from a set of this size and Hedwig and Scabbers provide a nice bonus. Harry and Ron are exclusives, but in reality they’re almost identical to the Harry and Ron that featured in 4 Privet Drive. They have the same charming dual-face prints, different colored trousers, and some marginally different front and back torso prints. Which you prefer will be down to personal preference, but the printing on the Flying Ford Anglia minifigures is beautifully crisp. I don’t have the 2020 figures to compare, but I can’t imagine they’re any crisper.

Something I was very pleased to see was Lego’s much-talked-about sustainable packaging. I’ve been disappointed with the number of sets that are still using plastic bags to house bricks, so I hope this is a sign of more paper bags to come. This meant that the only plastic in this set was the Lego itself. And as we all know, Lego’s used value helps to prevent bricks from ending up in landfill. But if you do have Lego lying around that you don’t want to sell, you can always send it back via Lego Replay.

Ease of assembly

If you have the Ford Anglia in the 4 Privet Drive or Hogwarts Whomping Willow sets, this will be a familiar build. All three versions of the car are extremely similar, however, this set is arguably the most unique due to the aforementioned changes and the way you build up the chassis. Overall, it took me just 28 minutes to build this little set. It has an age rating of 7+, making it a great kit to put together with a younger builder.

You begin by piecing together the chassis and the floor of the front seating, before progressing onto the front grill and building up the interior of the boot. You then tackle the fenders and the base of the bonnet, add the doors, and install the tail lights. Once you construct the hinged boot mechanism, you add the dashboard and steering wheel before piecing together the bonnet and adding the wing-mirror stalks. You then build up the rear window and add the roof, finishing with the wing mirrors and wheels.

There’s nothing particularly challenging about this set and its size means it never feels repetitive. There are lots of small pieces, which may prove fiddly for younger hands, which is why I’d recommend adult supervision.

Pricing

The Lego Harry Potter Flying Ford Anglia is priced at $14.99 (£12.99), includes 165 pieces and has a price-per-piece ratio of 9.1¢ (7.9p). Other sets boast better value per brick, but this isn’t terrible for a licensed set of this size, especially when compared to a BrickHeadz set like Sonic the Hedgehog and its ratio of 7.2¢ (7.2p).

• This Lego Harry Potter set was only released in 2024 and won’t be joining the best Lego sets retiring soon for a good while yet
• The 30-minute build time will be over before you can say “Reparo!”, but this set boasts plenty of playability
• The Ford Anglia looks so good, this set might attract a few car enthusiasts. Especially as it’s basically the same scale as Lego’s Speed Champions theme

This is actually the cheapest Lego Harry Potter set currently in production, with the next tier of sets including Aragog in the Forbidden Forest (76434) costing $5 (£5) more. Here’s what major retailers are asking for it:

Final verdict

The wide appeal of this set makes it a great choice for wizards, witches, and muggles alike. Lego car enthusiasts have the opportunity to pick up a minifigure-scale Ford Anglia to sit alongside their Speed Champions collection. And if you’re a Potter fan, well, it’s a real treat. The only reason not to buy this set is if you already own very similar versions of the car as part of the Hogwarts Whomping Willow (75953) and 4 Privet Drive (75968) playsets.

Where it’s an absolute essential, is as an accompaniment to the Hogwarts Express playset or collectors’ set currently in the Lego Harry Potter line-up. And due to the price and ample playability, it would make a fantastic gift for Potter fans young and old. If you don’t have the Weasley’s Ford Anglia in your Lego Harry Potter collection, this is your chance to add one to your Lego Room of Requirement.

For more Lego sets based on movies and books, read our lists of the best Lord of the Rings Lego sets and the best Star Wars Lego sets – there are some really great builds out there.

The creator of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, has made a number of transphobic remarks on social media in recent years. Lego Group is licensed by Warner Bros. to produce official Harry Potter Lego sets. While the details of that deal aren’t publicly known, it is likely that, as the creator and owner of the Harry Potter IP, she will earn royalties from sales of Harry Potter Lego.

Source: Wargamer