Purchased by me
A working winch, great Jeep-like suspension, steering, opening doors, and a back seat that folds into a flatbed. The front is printed instead of stickered. A few small things could be better, but honestly it’s hard to go wrong here.
Lego Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (42122)
The verdict
Buy it if
you want a Technic Jeep loaded with play value: winch, suspension, steering, and opening doors.
Skip it if
the visible colored pins on the sides and bottom would bug you, or you want a display-perfect model.
What’s good
- A sick winch on the front that’s a lot of fun to play with, and you wind it back up using the gear on the front.
- Bare minimum of stickers, with the front all printed, which looks clean.
- Great Jeep-like suspension, plus steering with a gear on top and doors that open.
- Lots of play value. The hood opens to show a little V6, and you can fold the back seat down to make it more of a flatbed truck. The yellow gives it a classic Jeep look.
The catch
- The winch has no crank. A crank would make it even better.
- The bottom has quite a few colored pieces and you can see all the blue pins on the side, which could look a bit cleaner. The V6 also has no pistons, and the steering column isn’t hidden on the back like on the newer Bronco.
What it is
So this is the Lego Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, a play-focused Technic set with a working winch on the front. The 42122 is got great Jeep-like suspension, steering via a gear on top, opening doors, and a back seat that folds down into a flatbed. The front is printed rather than stickered, and the yellow gives it a classic Jeep look.
What I found using it
For me the winch is the highlight. The 42122 is a lot of fun and you wind it back up with the gear on the front. I do wish it had a crank, which would make it even better. The suspension is great and feels like a real Jeep, and the steering works well. The hood opens to show a little V6, though it would have been cool if they’d put pistons in it.
There’s a ton of play here: opening doors, seats, and a folding back seat. My nitpicks are cosmetic. The bottom has quite a few colored pieces that could be less colorful, and you can really see all the blue pins on the side. The newer Ford Bronco hides its steering column on the back where the spare tire is, which would have been a nice touch here too.
Who I’d tell to buy it
If you want a Technic Jeep loaded with play value, this is a great pick, and it’s really hard to go wrong with the Rubicon. If the visible pins and colored bottom would bother you, or you want a display-perfect model, keep that in mind. But to me the fun far outweighs it.
How it did in testing
This is a quick hands-on, not a lab test. Nothing below is a score. The 42122 is just what stood out to me building and playing with it.
The play value is the story. There’s a winch, suspension, steering, opening doors, and a folding seat, all in one set.
| Test | What happened | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Winch | Works and is fun to play with; you wind it back up with the front gear. | Wish it had a crank. |
| Suspension & steering | Great Jeep-like suspension and steering via a gear on top. | Feels like a real Jeep. |
| Seats & doors | Doors open and the back seat folds down into a flatbed. | Lots of play. |
| Look | Printed front and classic yellow, but visible blue pins on the sides and colored bottom. | Could be a touch cleaner. |
Living with it
So this is a really fun Technic set with a lot of play value. I love the winch, the doors that open, the seats, the steering, and the suspension. The printed front keeps it clean and the yellow gives it that classic Jeep look.
A few things could be better: a crank for the winch, pistons in the V6, a hidden steering column like the Bronco, and less color on the bottom with fewer visible blue pins. Small stuff. Honestly it’s really hard to go wrong with the Rubicon.
