Best Tamiya Model Kits On The Market (I tried 1,000 Of Them)

If you’re a fan of Tamiya kits, then you’ve come to the right place!

Tamiya is popular for making pretty reliable models in terms of simplicity, fit, and quality. In this guide, we rounded up some of the best Tamiya model kits on the market to help you find the best subject you will enjoy building. 

Tamiya Subaru Impreza WRC 1999 Model Kit

Tamiya’s Subaru Impreza 1999 model kit is a fun choice kit perfect for beginners. 

For a basic scale model kit from Tamiya, this model is impressive, especially from its perfect fit alignment to its detailed parts that makes building this model a fun experience. Also, it comes with high quality decals that makes your model look like the real deal. Plus, it is a straightforward build and comes with an instruction guide that ensures easy assembly. However, the car is tiny, making assembly a challenge. 

Pros

• 15+ years
• Easy assemble
• Amazingly detailed
• Skill level 2

Cons

• Lots of fiddly details that may break easily

Tamiya Ford GT Model Kit

The FORD GT is another outstanding Tamiya kit any model building enthusiast will love. 

The build of this kit is brilliant and easy to assemble. Hence, I often recommend this kit to beginners and seasoned hobbyists because it isn’t too difficult. Besides this, its parts fit perfectly. Plus, the model comes with decals to create realistic markings. 

Pros

• Fairly complex model.
• All parts are precise and fit
• Perfect for beginners 
• Instructions are thorough and clear
• 16+ years

Con

• Expensive compared to Revell’s model

Renault Alpine A110 1971 Monte Carlo Scale Model Kit

This rally car is probably one of Tamiya’s best builds for 12 olds. The detail is second to none on this scale. However, this kit is not for the impatient or beginners. Its high level of detail means it may take 72+ hours to assemble. 

Pros

• 12+ years
• Accurate model
• Zero paints needed
• Easy to assemble

Con

• Not suitable for beginners

Tamiya 24136 1/24 1966 Volkswagen 1300 Beetle

If you’re fond of the Volkswagen Bettle, this Tamiya model means will give you a chance to finally build and paint the car of your dreams.

 It is a good little kit with little flash, and assembling the parts will be fun since they are fairly detailed. However, most parts have fit issues which can make assembly challenging for beginners.  

Pros

• 16+ years
• Quality parts
• Easy to assemble the engine
• Fun to paint

Con

• A bit difficult for a first timer

Tamiya 1:12 Yamaha XV1600 Roadstar Model

One of Tamiya’s best subjects is their bikes, especially this 1/12 Yamaha XV1600 Roadstar motorbike. I love this model because everyone can build it no matter their skill level. Plus, the chrome parts are well-engineered to look like a real bike. Then again, the best part of building this model is you can expect to finish assembly between 50 to 60 hours. 

Pros

• 4+ years 
• Perfect for beginners
• Ease of assemble
• Fun to build

Con

• Seasoned hobbyists may find this model less challenging.

Tamiya’s Yamaha YZF-R1M Model Kit

One of Tamiya’s best replicas, this model perfectly highlights all the unique features of the 2018 YZF-R1M motorbike. I found the engine fun to assemble, but it isn’t the easiest of builds as some parts don’t fit well, and the instructions can be confusing.  

Pros

• Easy to paint 
• Decent assembly
• Solid parts
• 16+ years

Cons

• Errors in the part fit and poor instructions
• Nothing comes pre-painted in this kit

Tamiya Honda CB750F Custom Tuned (Ltd Edition) 1:12 Motorbike

When it comes to assembly model kits, motorcycle kits are generally more difficult than other subjects because the parts can be delicate, but Tamiya makes assembling this model a breeze. 

You may need to superglue some parts, usually the engine components, forks, and handlebars, as well as parts of the seat and tank, and windshield during assembly. But the wheels are easy to build. 

Pros

• 15+ years
• Fairly easy to assemble
• Highly detailed parts
• It looks life-like when painted

Con

• The instructions are not straightforward

Tamiya Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler 1976 Japan GP 1/20

Like every typical Tamiya product, this scale model kit has a straightforward build with highly detailed pieces that will look realistic when assembled and painted.

Included in the kit are photo-etched parts that depicts relevant details like seatbelt buckles, rear wings and brake disc. Still, beginners may have a hard time assembling this model as some of the pieces have fit issues. 

Pros

• 16+ years
• Loads of fun to build
• Clear instructions and paint guide
• Easy to assemble

Con

• It may need a fair bit of sanding

Tamiya 1/14 Grand Hauler

If you’ve built the Tamiya King Hauler, you will see it has similar bodies to the Grand Hauler. However, in their interiors and difficulty levels, they both differ. 

The grand hauler has larger interior detail so assembly will different from the Tamiya King model. Besides this, it is cheap, and the details are amazing, making it fun to build. 

Pros

• Cheap
• 14+ years
• Customizable
• Easy to assembly

Con

• High parts count will make the assembly take days to complete 

Tamiya German Panther Medium Tank

The German Panther is definitely the sexiest tank of WW2. I particularly love Tamiya’s replication of this tank because it is your typical replica of Tamiya quality – everything fits very nicely.

Regardless, the final assembly may feel challenging, especially when fixing the tracks, and they may break. Luckily, with plastic cement, you get the wheels to be solid. 

Pros

• 14+ years
• Perfect for beginners
• The wheels turn smoothly
• Very fun and quick to build

Con

• The tracks are fiddly and may break easily

1/35 scale Hanomag model

Need a step up from the basic Tamiya tank kits and like German WWII vehicles? Then go for this model. 

It’s not as simple as most Tamiya tank kits, but it is also not so challenging that it gets overwhelming. In fact, it assembles easily if you follow the instructions well. This kit has a solid design, and parts fit decently, so you won’t have to worry about parts breaking easily.  

Pros

• Easy to  build
• It comes with a nice selection of figures
• Very detailed
• 16+ years

Con

• Intricate build and is very time-consuming

The Grumman F-14A Tomcat Model Kit

If you’ve seen the 1980 American sci-fi war movie “The Final Countdown” understands the thrill they get when they see this Grumman F-14A Tomcat aircraft move. If you are a Start Trek fan, then all the better because this you will love the process of rebuilding this model. 

The parts fit are excellent and details are superb. However, the kit has lots of small parts that may delay assembly.  Still, anyone can build this navy plane because the assembly and instructions are straightforward. 

Pros

• Great for intermediate and advanced modelers 
• 16+ years
• Accurate parts
• Easy to build

Con

• It can take a while to build

Tamiya p-51D Mustang

Meng also has a P-51 Mustang aircraft, but I would seriously recommend this Tamiya kit to anyone looking for a more straightforward option. 

The engineering, the fit of the parts (so perfect that putty isn’t required), the mold quality, and the raised and recessed details are easy to assemble. Plus, you can build this kit straight out of the box without needing many additional parts. 

Pros

• Great for beginners and pros
• Very detailed
• Aftermarket parts available
• Fun to build and paint
• 16+ years

Con

• It is quite on the expensive side

Tamiya 1/35 Jeep Willys MB

Love an open-topped jeep but don’t have one in your garage? Tamiya makes you experience the fun of driving and building armor cars like this with this model. 

The nice thing about this model is that you can do all kinds of stuff on them, from weathering to customization and even switching up your cool figures, and they will still look like a cool replica of the WWII US Army jeep. 

Pros

• Great for history buffs
• Easy to put together
• Customizable and upgradable
• Skill level 2
• 14+ years

Con

• It comes with fiddly parts that can break easily

Tamiya LRDG Command Car

Another impressive Tamyia scale model kit modelers will love is this eye-catching Chevy patrol truck used during WW II in North Africa. 

First, it comes with figurines to make your model stand out on the shelf, and the truck has lots of fun little details that makes the model look like the real thing when fully assembled. Besides this, assembly is relatively easy. However, if you are using the markings and references from the instruction booklet, you want to make sure it is correct. 

Pros

• Customizable
• Easy to handle
• 114+ years
• Assembly-friendly
• Perfect for beginners and seasoned scale model builders

Con

• It does not come with glue and paint

Tamiya US Navy PBR 31 Mk.II Patrol Pibber

Tamiya has designed all sorts of models and has made them detailed like the real thing. This tiny boat model does not disappoint. 

This model shop is engineered to be fun and easy to build. Plus, painting it can be a thrilling experience since you can paint it to your own specifications. 

Pros

• Fun build
• Skill level 2
• Clear instructions 
• Goes together easily

Con

• A little expensive for its small size

Tamiya 78025 Japanese Battleship Yamato

If you love to have a battleship on your shelf, this newer (78025) Japanese Battleship Yamato will look great displayed on the shelf. 

It is a simply beautiful replica of the real thing when assembled. All parts will fit nicely, and you won’t have any problem with assembly expect for that the kit has many parts and the long assembly hours may make the build process tasking. 

Regardless, the kit also comes with phot-etched parts to add realistic detail to the model. Plus, the instructions are clear and pay attention to details. 

Pros

• 15 years and up
• Easy to assemble
• Skill level 3
• Clear instructions 
• Fun to build and paint

Con

• It takes a while to assemble

Tamiya 1/350 German Battleship Bismarck

For anyone who wants to try ship modeling, Tamiya’s 1/350 German Battleship Bismarck will be fun. 

First, this model is huge! And its size means you can’t assemble or paint it within one or two days. But, this makes it an interesting challenge even for experienced builders. On the other hand, it is quite detailed and requires lots of attention during the build stage, but it is easy to assemble. 

Regardless, anyone from age 16 and above will enjoy the experience of building this Tamiya model.  

Pros

• Pretty detailed
• Easy to assemble
• Fun to build
• Customizable

Con

• It takes a lot of time to build and paint
• It is not an ideal beginner’s model kit

TAMIYA 1/35 German Marder III M

One of the many reasons many people love the model building hobby is most times, it can be a hard nut to crack. If you love the challenge, this Tamiya’s 1/35 German Marder III M scale model kit won’t disappoint. 

It has good details without all the work of a full interior kit, making them easy and fun to assemble. However, beginners may find it difficult to fix photo-etched parts since they are pretty detailed to appear real; hence, will require some skills. The good news is that it is easy enough to fit if you follow the instructions.

Pros

• 16+ years
• Well-designed 
• Easy to assembly for seasoned hobbyists
• Low parts count
• Great fit

Con

• A challenging build for beginners

The Tamiya Grasshopper

If you want something for your 12years old teenager or as a gift for adults, Tamiya’s all-time classic 2WD Grasshopper models are a good deal. They are super cheap and built quite tough, can be fun with a 540 motor (a bit tame with the kit 380 motors). However, they may be difficult to handle for beginners. They use friction shocks all around, which makes the RC car bounce about without much control. 

Pros

• Fast and fun
• Tough design
• Available spares if they break
• Basic construction makes assembly easy
• Allows upgrade for more speed

Con

• It may be challenging for beginners

The Tamiya Lunch Box 

The Lunchbox is one of Tamiya’s best RC model kits for ages 14 years and above.  

Unlike most Tamiya’s models, it isn’t a high-speed plastic kit. It has big tires that make it easy to do turns and drifts, and a 540 motor will be just right for this unit but give it a faster motor, and it might sustain more crashes since the vehicle won’t be able to handle the turns too well. Regardless, the Lunchbox is fun, easy to run, and even easier to break the mounts off.

Pros

• Fun to build and drive
• 20 hours of build time
• Plenty of spare parts on sale
• Great for skilled hobbyists
• Easy to assemble

Con

• It does not contain electronics (ESC, steering Servo, radio system, battery, and charger)
• The monster tires mean you need ample space to negotiate good turns

Conclusion

Tamiya offers some of the best model kits on the market.

From the beginner-friendly Subaru Impreza WRC 1999 and Yamaha XV1600 Roadstar to the more complex Renault Alpine 1971 Monte Carlo and Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler 1976 Japan GP, Tamiya’s models are popular for their simplicity, fit, and quality.

Whether you’re a car enthusiast, motorcycle lover, or truck driver, Tamiya has a model kit for you to enjoy building. So, pick one of these best Tamiya model kits, get started, and unleash your creativity.