Ninjago

Jay's Transforming Car

A racer that flips into a dragon, and mostly earns the trick.

Brick Rated Score

3.6/5

Set 71856 · 2026

Pieces387

Minifigs5

Year2026

Set number71856

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The verdict

The moment that sold me on this set is the flip itself, you press the front section and the whole nose folds back to reveal a dragon head with golden claws and shurikens that spin as the car rolls.

That single mechanism is genuinely clever and it works every time, no fiddly parts threatening to pop off. Where I cooled off a bit is everything around it, the car's body is mostly Technic frames and brackets doing structural duty rather than looking like much of anything, so once the novelty of the transformation wears off there isn't a lot else pulling your eye. It's a fun five minutes of play packed into a set priced like it should give you an afternoon.

Best for: Dragons Rising fans who want the flip-action car more than a display piece

The full review

What it is

Jay's Transforming Car is built around one idea and it's a good one. Flip the front end and the whole nose twists back into a dragon head with golden claws, while shurikens mounted on both sides start spinning as the car moves. I've seen plenty of Ninjago vehicles promise a transformation and deliver something loose and rattly. This one doesn't. The mechanism is tight, nothing threatens to fall off mid-play, and the shurikens spinning only in dragon mode is a nice touch that makes the trick feel earned rather than tacked on.

The catch

I'll be honest about the price though. At $54.99 for 387 pieces this isn't a cheap impulse buy, and more than one reviewer pointed out you're better off waiting for a discount. Part of that comes down to what's actually in the box, a lot of the car's structure is Technic frames and brackets doing load-bearing work rather than looking like anything in particular. Take away the transformation and the shooter, and there isn't a huge amount left to admire visually. It's a mechanism-first set, and if that mechanism doesn't excite you, the rest won't carry it.

Who it's for

This is a set for kids and collectors who are actively into Dragons Rising season 4 and want the car that matches what's happening on screen, especially with Jay, Nya, and dragon-form Kai all along for the ride plus two villains to battle. If you're chasing minifigures or you love a well-executed single gimmick, it delivers. If you want a vehicle that also looks impressive parked on a shelf, or you're pricing out pieces per dollar, wait for it to come down.

What works

The flip from car to dragon mode is smooth, satisfying, and doesn't feel gimmicky once you've done it a few times
Five minifigures for one set, including Jay's rare double-sided head and Kai's newly molded dragon-form headwrap and tail
The spring-loaded shooter and detachable plant-covered side build add a second play mode beyond just rolling the car around

Worth knowing

At $54.99 for 387 pieces it lands on the expensive side per piece, and reviewers flagged it's worth waiting for a sale
The car body itself is fairly plain, lots of Technic brackets and frame pieces with not much surface detail once you look past the transformation
Once you've triggered the dragon-mode flip a handful of times, there isn't a ton of additional play value left in the model

Sold? Grab it.

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The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building this one is quick and mechanical in the literal sense, you spend a good chunk of the instructions assembling the Technic-heavy chassis and linkage that makes the transformation actually function, then the body panels click over top. It's not a long build and there's no filler, every step is either structure or the transformation linkage, which makes it feel efficient even if it means less variety along the way.

The standout pieces are all in the minifigures rather than the car. Jay gets a new double-sided head, which is unusual for him specifically even though the print style has shown up on other characters before. Kai's dragon form comes with a newly molded head wrap featuring sculpted spikes that pairs with printed detailing underneath, and his tail piece is a new mold too, giving this version of Kai a distinct silhouette from his other Ninjago appearances. For 387 pieces and $54.99 the part count leans toward the pricier side, but the minifigure lineup of five, three of them unique to this set, helps offset that if figures are what you're collecting for.

Fun facts

01The set released January 1, 2026 as part of the Dragons Rising Season 4 wave.
02The rotating shurikens only activate once the car flips into dragon mode, they stay still in regular car form.
03Kai's dragon-form minifigure has an entirely new molded tail piece, distinguishing this version from his other Ninjago figures.
04The set includes a spring-loaded shooter with two darts and a detachable plant-covered side build for staging battles.