LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car review

Nobody was expecting a LEGO Minions battle pack for LEGO Despicable Me 4, but that's exactly what 75580 Minions and Banana Car is – for better or worse.

It's not often that the least expensive LEGO sets in a theme include some of the best minifigures but that would appear to be a winning formula for 75580 Minions and Banana Car. Despite this benefit, the high price of 75580 Minions and Banana Car is the main hurdle in its way to being the most ap-peeling (sorry not sorry) LEGO Despicable Me 4 set.

Those wanting a taste of LEGO Despicable Me 4 likely won't be let down by 75580 Minions and Banana Car, as long as you're willing to accept the asking price.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car set details ---

Theme: LEGO Despicable Me 4 Set name: 75580 Minions and Banana Car Release: May 1, 2024

Price: £19.99 / $24.99 / €24.99 Pieces: 136 Minifigures: 4

LEGO: Order now

--- Where to buy LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car ---

The full range of LEGO Despicable Me 4 sets, including 75580 Minions and Banana Car, launches on May 1. This is the smallest set in the new range and you're likely going to be able to find it widely in stores and online early next month. Alternatively, it's available now in the UK and Europe after a surprise early release.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car build ---

The highlight of 75580 Minions and Banana Car is the titular vehicle. The banana car looks like it could be taken straight out of Mario Kart, which just so happens to be getting LEGO sets in 2025. The potassium-rich vehicle is scaled to minifigures and not LEGO Super Mario figures though, just in case you were planning to borrow the car next year.

The vehicle is designed with a barebone, kart-esque appearance flanked by two giant parts that help to mimic the shape of a banana. It's simple but it works well and there's enough room for a single Minion to sit behind the wheel.

There's a space for the included engine though it can be left off to not block the driver's line of sight. Without it, the vehicle still looks convincing enough... or as convincing as a banana car can be.

Joining the banana car is a trio of accessories for the standard Minions minifigures. These include an Anti-Villain League weapon rack complete with a radio and grappling hook, as well as space for some specialised goggles. The easel with portrait is a fun little extra that adds some play potential without taking up too much of the piece count, but the table is the least exciting model in 75580 Minions and Banana Car. The Mega Minion gets a set of weights too.

The builds in 75580 Minions and Banana Car are satisfactory but there's little doubt that the minifigures make up where the models are lacking.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car minifigures ---

Three standard Minions minifigures are included in 75580 Minions and Banana Car as well as one of the specialised Mega Minions. While the original LEGO Despicable Me models from 2020 featured mostly the characters in their iconic blue overalls, 75580 Minions and Banana Car switches things up with two exclusive outfits.

One of the standard Minions is wearing an Anti-Villain League uniform matching the colour scheme of the weapon racks, and is also equipped with a helicopter hat and goggles, making them the most customisable in the set.

Another is fitted in a red Gru racing suit featuring the bottle on the included table on the emblem. Both are fantastic inclusions that you won't find in any other set and their fun, colourful designs add to the appeal of 75580 Minions and Banana Car.

The third standard Minion is in the more familiar blue overalls and it's good to see one still featured in the smallest LEGO Despicable Me 4 sets for those who missed out in 2020.

The massive Mega Minion is exclusive to 75580 Minions and Banana Car too and though the context behind this figure is not yet available at the time of writing, it's certainly a unique Minion figure that matches up with four others across three LEGO Despicable Me 4 sets. The appearance of this LEGO figure is interesting and colourful, befitting of a LEGO Despicable Me 4 set and it's appreciated to see one of the larger Mega Minions included in the smallest model.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car price ---

While the builds are satisfactory and the minifigures of 75580 Minions and Banana Car are excellent, the price of the smallest LEGO Despicable Me 4 set unfortunately doesn't help the view that this is a LEGO Minions battle pack.

At 136 pieces for £19.99 / $24.99 / €24.99 and only a handful of rare or larger elements, the price feels too high. Even dropping it by a couple of pounds, dollars and euros would help its case massively. Thankfully, small sales on this set seem likely not too long after launch and even 10% off would be enough to justify a purchase of this otherwise great set.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car pictures ---

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car pros and cons ---

Despite those qualms with the price of £19.99 / $24.99 / €24.99, 75580 Minions and Banana Car is still a fantastically fun model that fits perfectly within the LEGO Despicable Me 4 range.

It offers exclusive minifigures, enjoyable builds and a taste of the wider theme without breaking the bank. While it's not built for basic Minion army-building, there's little doubt that this LEGO Despicable Me 4 model feels like a battle pack in both its contents, minifigures and unfortunately price.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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--- Alternatives to LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car ---

Alternatives to 75580 Minions and Banana Car aren't easy to find, but one potential shout might be 42633 Hot Dog Food Truck as another food-based vehicle at a similar price point.

Otherwise, 10782 Hulk vs. Rhino Truck Showdown includes colourful vehicles, a flying character and an assortment of unique minifigures but better serves Marvel enthusiasts than Minions fans.

--- LEGO Despicable Me 4 75580 Minions and Banana Car FAQs ---