Siku - review and Canberra availability

Some 1:64 and related small scale diecast vehicles transcend their toy status and become models. Other brands make models that can be used as toys. Siku, a German company, are one of the latter. In the small scale world price often reflects quality, so when you hold a $1.25 Maisto in your hand and a $7 Siku in the other, you can see the extra quality clearly in paint, detail and interior details, clear glass, stickers etc.

That main focus of Siku stocked In Australia is construction vehicles, and farm equipment. I would guess that being a premium product, Siku find it hard to compete with Matchbox/Hot Wheels in the 1:64 arena, whereas the collector of construction and farming vehicles may be more prepared to seek out and acquire finely entailed 1:64 vhicles in their preferred theme.

Fortunately a recent Siku catalogue is available online here. You can see all the cars we cant get.

Siku pretty much own the 1:55 scale diecast line, but this blog review is of their 1:64 scale cars. The next two photos show some Siku from around 2000 with Siku from 2010.

Three Siku 1:64 diecast circa 2000

Three Siku 1:64 diecast circa 2009

The biggest visible change is in the wheels and tyres, which seem more accurate now, and lack SIKU printed on the tyres. Detail is high with clear headlights, detailed grills and interiors, quality paint. Similar to Biante Minicars,  Siku have wheels with soft rubber tyres. Siku's although diecast, have plastic bases however the detail on the Siku base is superior to Hot Wheels, and features info on the 1:1 car such as max speed, length, weight etc. 

Many Siku feature tow hooks, often on sports cars, which seems odd. It does fit in with the Siku ethic, as a furtive glance in the Siku catalogue shows many trailers and attachments denied to Australian collectors. 

They are generally very nicely detailed and modelled cars. They feel nice in the hand, with a certain weight lacking from some eastern manufacturers cars. I also like the consistent SIKU numberplates. 

Siku blisterpack

The focus on European cars is obvious, and the range is vast, with different liveries for different European markets. Assembling a complete collection would be difficult.


They are a little hard to get hold of in Australia, not being stocked in supermarkets like Mattel's Matchbox and Hot Wheels brands, but I have been looking around Canberra for a stockist. I have found two. One is Toyworld In Fyshwick, the other - with a better range- is Grandmas Attic in Gungahlin.