After a few years of struggling to develop the line, Matchbox has finally grown the Moving Parts lineup into a collection worthy of a Top 5. As usual, to be eligible for this list, these castings must be new for 2023 – no recolors allowed! Without further ado, these are my 5 favorite Matchbox Moving Parts models of the past year.
Number 5: Jeep Gladiator
Given my distaste for the mainline Jeep Gladiator casting, I fully expected to hate this one too. In fact, I was so surprised by the quality of this casting that I wrote a full feature comparing it to its mainline sibling. In short, the Matchbox team took the mainline Gladiator and added doors, a roof, a darker base, and full front and rear printed detailing. All that added detail made this Moving Parts Gladiator feel so much more accurate and life-like. A Jeep without that classic seven line grill just doesn’t look right, and I have no idea what possessed the Matchbox team to prioritize side detailing over the front on the mainline, but I’m glad they were able to correct it for the Moving Parts.
The rear on the mainline was certainly nowhere near as heinous, but the rear detailing on this model is certainly a big improvement over the mainline. I like the darker base as well, since the light gray bumpers always looked a bit too cheap. All these little changes added up to a really good model, and if I had a “most improved” award, this would easily win.
Number 4: 1988 Mazda RX-7
I love to see more sports cars like this making their way to the Matchbox lineup. The FC RX-7 convertible may not have the collector hype of the legendary FD, but I love seeing a broader range of enthusiast cars reproduced in diecast. This RX-7 is wonderfully detailed, with printing on all four sides and great proportions. The opening hood fits so tightly that it doesn’t even have the unsightly panel gaps that plague so many of the Moving Parts cars. The windshield is the only imperfect design element here, as I’m not crazy about the look of the new window supports to the side of the windshield on recent Matchbox convertibles. Obviously it helps make the model stronger (I know I had many broken windshields in my childhood collection), but it does detract from the look of the model somewhat.
One of the best parts about the Moving Parts line is the extra budget that allows for the return of chrome bases on some models. The chrome exhaust tips look so much better than plain black plastic, as they are both more realistic looking and “pop” more. Between the wonderfully 80’s-looking brake lights is a real license plate, an excellent design element that we’ve seen less and less on recent Matchbox models. A truly excellent model of a very cool JDM car.
Number 3: 2022 Lexus LX
It’s no secret that Matchbox creates the best SUV models in the business. Something about these wheels just allows for perfectly scaled models, without the monster truck look that always plagues Hot Wheels SUVs. This Lexus LX follows hot on the heels of the much-hyped 4Runner casting and appeals to collectors in many of the same ways. This LX is a big, chunky offroader, and that comes across well in 1/64. The brown interior looks rich and fitting for a Lexus, while the pearl white paint does a great job of mimicking Lexus’s best paint color. The imposing Lexus predator maw is here and accounted for, though all its detail is from printing. There’s no casting detail on the front of this casting, which means the grille lacks the feeling of depth that our #1 and #2 castings have.
This Lexus has an opening hatch, which I’m surprised isn’t more common on Moving Parts cars. When I was a kid, I always liked to load up my Matchbox trucks with whatever I was hauling at the time – sand, pieces of paper, unpopped popcorn kernels. Opening hoods add value to collectors, opening hatches add play value for children, and opening doors ruin bodylines for everyone.
Number 2: 2022 Chevy Tahoe
This Chevy Tahoe is another excellently executed SUV, with perfect proportions and oodles of detail. What boosts this Tahoe above the third place Lexus LX is the sheer cool factor of a black Tahoe. You can check out my full article for more of my thoughts on this model, but I believe the Tahoe is one of the more quintessentially American cars on the market. In this black color, it’s easy to envision this Tahoe as an unmarked police cruiser or a secret service vehicle, though it could just as easily be parked in the parking lot of a Chipotle.
Where the Lexus LX relies entirely on printing to define its front fascia, the Tahoe has loads of casting detail that gives the front grille a lot more depth. The rear of the model is similarly well-detailed, and the model as a whole feels sizable and chunky. This model’s potential for cool releases in the future is near-limitless, as I could see a Tahoe being used as a police car, fire chief’s vehicle, or even a National Parks vehicle! It’s a great casting to have in the lineup, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
Number 1: Bentley Continental
I love when Matchbox produces multiple generations of a model, and this new Bentley Continental is a wonderful update to the 2006 Continental casting, which is starting to look dated. The new Continental modernizes the old version’s looks with a bigger grill and LED headlights, a lovely and expensive-looking shade of metallic gray paint, and a caramel brown interior that screams luxury.
The back of the new Continental features slim LED brake lights and the Continental’s distinctive bulging quarter panels, though it simply says “Bentley” where the license plate should be – a trend in recent Matchbox models that I dislike, though it’s far better than having no plate at all. I absolutely love the printed exhaust tips though!
This is a wonderful model and was an easy choice for my Moving Parts model of the year…so imagine my confusion when I saw this model become somewhat of a pegwarmer. The Continental was released in the first mix of 2023, yet I still occasionally see this model hanging on the shelves at Target. Granted, there were two per case, but there were also two Mustangs per case and I never see those hanging. Perhaps it was the subtle gray color that failed to grab people’s attention, or perhaps Bentley just isn’t as popular as it used to be. Whatever the reason, I think it’s a shame to see this model so overlooked, and I hope the next release is in a more adventurous color so it can get the recognition it deserves.
2023 was one of the best years for Moving Parts yet, and if the sneaks we’ve seen so far are any indication, 2024 is looking to be even better! I’ll be sure to showcase as many of those as I can, and if you haven’t seen them yet, be sure to check out my other top 5 posts!
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