Five January 1 LEGO sets that you might have overlooked

January 1 is always a hectic time, both in the world of LEGO and out. Here are a few LEGO sets that might have been missed – but deserve attention.

Over 100 LEGO sets launched yesterday, ranging across various themes and interests. It's no surprise that you probably won't have taken in all of them – and some sets inevitably are going to fall by the wayside. Most LEGO fans will know that the latest modular building is 10350 Tudor Corner, but there are some other sets even within the Icons theme that are also worth a closer look.

With that in mind, we've rounded up some LEGO sets that are available to buy right now that you might have overlooked so far.

LEGO City 60444 F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG & Alpine Cars

The LEGO Group's partnership with Formula 1 has started with a bang, with a wave of LEGO City sets now available to buy. While a lot of attention has piled on the largest set of the group, 60445 F1 Truck with RB20 & AMR24 F1 Cars and 60443 F1 Pit Stop & Pit Crew with Ferrari Car is already on back order, we don't want you to miss 60444 F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG & Alpine Cars.

As well as shining a light on the unsung heroes of Formula 1 – the garage crew and engineers – 60444 F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG & Alpine Cars features some exciting play features, with the ability to launch cars from the garage to hit the track. It also includes some tongue-in-cheek references to the teams, with a croissant for French Alpine and a pretzel for German Mercedes. It's an impressive set all-round and available to buy right now for £69.99 / $79.99 / €79.99.

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31165 Wild Animals: Panda Family

Next up is 31165 Wild Animals: Panda Family, another set that might have been overshadowed by an impressive fellow set in its wave, 31161 Medieval Dragon. However, all three builds in 31165 Wild Animals: Panda Family are equally impressive, offering displays of parent and baby animals in adorable final models.

Each build also features a small accessory that represents the animal's natural habitat, from bamboo for the pandas, underwater life for the whales, and a sheet of ice for the penguins. LEGO Creator 3-in-1 is typically very well-priced and 31165 Wild Animals: Panda Family is no exception, retailing for £34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99.

LEGO DREAMZzz 71497 Cooper's Tiger Mech & Zero's Hot Rod Car

LEGO DREAMZzz is often discounted as largely for kids but we were surprised by how engaging 71497 Cooper's Tiger Mech & Zero's Hot Rod Car was when we had it for review. The different modular parts of the build can be combined into a seemingly endless variety of vehicles and mechs that make for a creative play experience for builders of all ages.

That makes the price for the 1,006-piece set well worth it, at £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99. It's the most expensive set from the wave but it benefits from far more build options and a rewarding final product that you won't be nearly done with once the building is over.

LEGO Icons 10359 Fountain Garden

With LEGO Botanicals now its own theme, fans of brick-built flowers might think they have no reason to look at LEGO Icons anymore. However, 10359 Fountain Garden would pair perfectly with the botanical sets, bringing a tiny garden to life on a sturdy display base. It follows the same pattern as 10315 Tranquil Garden and could easily be customised by creative builders to add more plants or colour as you please.

LEGO Star Wars 75401 Ahsoka's Jedi Interceptor

We loved 75401 Ahsoka's Jedi Interceptor when we had it for review, with the LEGO Star Wars set managing to achieve a tricky task of breathing new life into tried and tested grounds. The minifigures alone are worth a closer look, putting both Anakin and Ahsoka in the same set, a relatively rare occurrence for two characters so closely tied together.

The ship itself brings something new to the table, being based on Ahsoka’s Interceptor when seen in the opening of Season 5 Episode 17 of The Clone Wars, ‘Sabotage’ as she flies to the aid of Anakin while under attack from buzz droids. The minifigures will appeal to collectors, while the ship is perfect for display, so don't let this LEGO Star Wars set pass you by.

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