Need to smuggle some Death Star plans to the Rebellion? We’ve got the perfect ship for you with the Lego Tantive IV set. This is the vessel that we find Princess Leia on during the opening chase scene in the original Star Wars, so it’s a perfect choice for the lineup of Lego Star Wars 25th anniversary sets. It's a welcome addition to the range at large, too; we haven’t had a Tantive IV set for a few years, since the last one went out of production in 2021.
I’m happy to say that Lego has done a fantastic job with this replica, offering a gorgeous display model that’s packed with interesting building techniques. Despite the affordable price tag of $79.99, it does feel a little light on pieces for the cost. However, the slick design of the Lego Tantive IV means it’s still up there with the best Lego Star Wars sets for adults for me.
Lego Tantive IV features
- Comes with display stand
- 25th anniversary plaque
- No minifigures
The Tantive IV is the latest addition to Lego’s Starship Collection — a set of display pieces aimed at adult Star Wars (and Lego) fans. These smaller ship models are designed to fit nicely on a bookshelf in a classy, adult nerd’s living room. To that end, the model has a slick black display stand, complete with a printed name plate and a 25th anniversary plaque that can stand alongside it.
One of the downsides of the Starship Collection rears its ugly head again here though — no minifigures. It’s Princess Leia’s ship, so it wouldn’t have killed them to include a little Princess Leia minifigure with the Lego Tantive IV. And, to be honest, at the price you’re paying for such a low piece-count model, throw in R2-D2 and C-3PO too.
Lego Tantive IV build
- Takes a few hours to complete
- Varied build techniques, so never gets boring
- Some stickers, but they’re mercifully easy to apply
I built the Lego Star Wars Tantive IV over a few hours in a single evening, although you could easily stretch it out into a couple of nights. Following the instruction booklet, you’ll assemble up to the main body before moving on to the massive engine array. This iconic rear end (not like that) is cleverly designed, with the central row of thrusters attaching directly to the hull, with the top and bottom rows then clipping into place around it.
During construction I was impressed at how varied the techniques and pieces I was using were — the build never got repetitive or monotonous. There are loads of clever techniques used to build the angled sections of the hull, and the engine array is an impressive piece of micro engineering.
What's the difference between the old, now-retired Tantive IV - pictured above - and Lego's new one? For starters, the previous version was a lot bigger and had roughly 1,000 pieces more. (It also came with six minifigs.) That means it was much more expensive and harder to display, though.
I also really love how they did the little double-barreled turrets, which are made using three of the same piece, with the middle one attaching the weapon to the ship.
There are quite a few stickers included in the set, which are always the bane of any Lego fan's existence. Most of them were simple to apply, but because of how circular Lego pieces are attached, you do need to be careful with the alignment of the circular stickers on the side of the prow.
Overall, the Lego Star Wars Tantive IV is great fun to build, but the price does feel a little steep for the piece count considering that you’ll be done building it in no time — the Executor Super Star Destroyer is a similar style of Lego set with about the same piece count, and it’s $10 cheaper than the Tantive, which doesn’t seem right.
Lego Tantive IV design
- Excellent replica of an underrated Star Wars ship
- Some nice nods to the movie
- Sleek display stand
The Lego Star Wars Tantive IV is a gorgeous little display piece when it’s finished, offering a wonderful replica of Princess Leia’s iconic ship for older Star Wars fans to enjoy. The massive engine block at the back is the most recognisable part of the Tantive, and it looks fantastic here. The stickers, while annoying to apply, do also give a load of fine detail to the outer hull.
This set isn’t a toy, so there aren’t any moving parts, working turrets, or minifigures (if you want something like that, check out our Lego Boarding the Tantive IV review). That being said, there are plenty of little details for movie buffs to look out for and enjoy.
On the underside of the ship you can see the escape pods, complete with one missing pod — you’ll have to chase down R2-D2 and C-3PO if you want that back. The communications array on the top of the ship has also been repaired after the Empire blew it up during the opening chase scene in Star Wars: A New Hope.
The whole thing comes mounted on a classy black display stand, complete with a printed plaque displaying the name of the ship. You also get a nice 25-years of Lego Star Wars anniversary brick which can sit alongside it too. The model is a great size to sit on a bookshelf, and even fits nicely into those Ikea Kallax cube shelves if you have one of those.
Should you buy the Lego Tantive IV?
The Lego Star Wars Tantive IV is a must-own for adult fans of the classic Star Wars movies. I had a great time putting it all together, and the relatively short build time means it doesn’t feel like a huge time commitment. The completed model looks excellent, and will be taking pride of place on one of my bookshelves… or realistically flying alongside the Lego UCS Venator set that I checked out earlier in 2024.
It is a little more expensive than I’d like though, so I’d maybe recommend waiting for a sale unless you’re desperate to add this ship to your fleet.
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How we tested the Lego Tantive IV
I built this set over the course of a single evening, and it took around 2-3 hours to complete. I followed the instructions, making sure to look out for sections that were particularly difficult or confusing, as well as highlighting enjoyable aspects of the build.
Once the build was finished, I considered the overall design: how good it looks, how accurately it replicates the ship from the movie, and any special features that it has (or is lacking).
You can find out more about our process in our 'how we test' guide.
For more recommendations, don't miss our guide to the best Lego sets or these Star Wars gifts.
