Blizzak Snow Tires

Initial Review, 30,000 Miles on Tires
March 27, 2012

I've had these now for seven seasons, about 30,000 miles. I've used dedicated snow/summer tires on my sedans for thirty years. (Volvo/BMW/MB/Lincoln/Buick) Iv'e tried so many brands I've lost count, but these are the best balance of price/performance I've had yet. Reasonably quite, decent dry weather grip, great snow & ice grip, very good hydroplane resistance and long life, as dedicated snow tires go. They are due for replacement, I read the reviews for the Michelins, and even those buyers thought the Bridgestones Blizzacks had the last word in snow. I've been happy with them, I think I'll repurchase these tires.

Initial Review, 6,500 Miles on Tires
March 31, 2011

Purchased Dunlop SP Wintersport M3s with rims and sensors to mount on a new Maxima. Have Blizzaks on an 08 Highlander, and had Michelin X-Ices on prior vehicle (04 Celica GT-S Tsunami). Had very high expectations based on ratings vs. competitors in same size. Car has been driven 90% highway, 10% city through above-average winter snowfall north of Toronto, ON, Canada. Tire has performed well in dry and wet, however struggles with increasing amounts of snow - +1.5 inches (very slippery around easy corners, breaks traction earlier than would be expected.... so overall we are satisfied (but with a little disappointment on deep snow). Will consider again, but will take closer look at Michelin and Bridgestone next time.

Initial Review, 4,000 Miles on Tires
February 28, 2010

We bought AWD for three reasons: 1) our steep driveway in the winter; 2) to get around for those few days of really big snow; 3) to do that without having to buy winter tires. But the OEM All-season tires (Bridgestone Dueler H/T) are worthless in even light snow. I can get up the driveway and get out in snow, but can't stop or turn. I'm well aware that AWD does not help stop or turn, but I expected a lot more from all-season tires.



With previous experience with winter tires, we bought these winter tires. It's the first time we bought this particular winter tire. It instantly transformed the vehicle into an invincible machine this winter. The added bonus is that it didn't seem to give up anything in the dry like my other set of Bridgestone Blizzaks (absolutely great winter tire), at least under normal operating g-loads.



The only bad thing about these tires (I found the same thing on another set of General all season) is the side wall doesn't look uniform -- looks like bulging.

Initial Review, 3,000 Miles on Tires
March 17, 2012

Quickly - RX-8s aren't known for their snow skills. They reek, in fact. I had a '05 Shinka that got stuck on my drive way. It's as flat as an ironing board. But, with Blizzaks, my newer RX-8 actually passed a Toyota Fourrunner that was STUCK. Of course the Yota driver was probably doing something ridiculous, but here I am...driving along, 5" of wet, thick snow...like it was nothing.

I tell you, there's some voodoo going on with Blizzaks. I'm a believer.

Initial Review, 4,000 Miles on Tires
March 13, 2012

It's a great tire for ice and snow,but it is also a hard riding tire.

Initial Review, 2,500 Miles on Tires
March 17, 2012

These were my first ever set of snow tires. I survived record snowfall last year (2010-2011) on a set of Bridgestone Pole Postition RE960AS on my 1994 Nissan Maxima, they were fine. This year (2011-2012) I bought a 2009 Camry LE 2.4 and equipped it with these Blizzak WS70s. And we proceeded to have the mildest winter in the history of western North Carolina. We had one significant snow event in the higher elevations at the the TN line. I had one day of fun blasting mountain roads with these tires. They were excellent! The most notable thing about them was the fact that I could stop on an icy hill and then go again. With all season tires here in the mountains, most stop signs are merely a polite suggestion. With the true winter tires I can stop anywhere and move again without drama. So in essence my experience with the winter tires is that I can stop and go slowly in places where I wouldn't dare slow down on all seasons. The car felt more like a car and less like a sled. Braking was phenomenal.

Now with that said, most of my experience is on 40-60 degree days on dry roads during this exceptionally mild winter. So how do the Blizzaks perform out of their element? OK. At 70 mph on dry interstate they made me feel like I was driving a giant millipede down the road. Those tall soft treadblocks were all over the place! But once I got used to it, it was ok. Inspite of the initial squeamishness I felt, I got used to the feeling and realized the car isn't going to do anything crazy. I even took the car past 100 mph just to see...Well I'm still alive to write this review. Its mid March now, so I'm making an appointment to switch back to my all seasons. I can't wait for next winter, hopefully their will be more than one snow event. And FYI the wear on the tires after 2500 non-snowy miles is negligible.

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
March 18, 2012

while the winter here has been a record mild one, the ice traction and snow pack traction has been good. I've been more impressed with the dry performance. handling is precise with none of the Blizzak squishiness I've experienced on my other cars. would definately buy these again.

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
March 02, 2012

Purchased these back in December to prepare for the incoming winter season - Although this season was pretty much snowless, there were two days where it snowed, one of which I tested the Blizzaks on. On dry pavement, the tires are quite soft and do not respond well to cornering and braking. They are decent (considering they are snow tires), so they are drive-able on average. In the rain, they outperformed my all seasons by a lot. I didn't get my slip light on (at any time), and it was pretty much a breeze driving through the rain, quite the surprise! On the day that it snowed, I didn't lose traction on the highway at all. However, on ice in a parking lot, I slightly lost traction, even with sand bags in the back, and driving with low RPM. In the case of deep snow, it was alright, but going above 2500-3000rpm, slip light instantly came on. Would purchase again for the winter - worked great in the rain too, which was a great added bonus.

Initial Review, 800 Miles on Tires
December 26, 2009

These tires are AMAZING. I got caught in an ice storm the road was a sheet of ice, uphill rain coming down and freezing on the roadway. Cars off the road, others stuck on the hill. I walked right up that hill around a Esclade that was sideways on the hill. Without spinning a wheel. Last night I got stuck in a heavy snow storm Christmas night over the RT 52 mountain from Ellenville NY. About 4" of fresh snow on top of freezing rain. The Blizzak's performance is amazing. There was no one on the road. I stopped in the middle of the steepest part of the mountain and the car started without even spinning a wheel. When I came down the other side the car traced perfectly no sliding or slipping at all. I hard braked it from about 35 MPH, the anti-locks kicked in and came to a perfect straight stop. The tires are perfect for my car. I can not make any comments as to tire wear as I only have about 800 miles on this set of tire. I researched a bunch of tires here and made an educated decision base on the previous reviews of this tire. "It is like being able to test drive the tires before you buy them". Thanks again Tirerack for a great price and the research area on this website.

Initial Review, 8,000 Miles on Tires
March 04, 2012

I downsized in diameter and width for these tires, and it is a good combination for the Audi Quattro. Tire Rack shipped quickly with the wheels I ordered.
Within a month of putting these tires on I got a chance to put them to the test. Calgary was hit with a sudden, disastrous snow storm at evening rush hour, with all city roads freezing over and not a sanding truck in sight. Unfortunately I had to go out in this---to pick up my wife who was stranded in her car with its all-seasons. Major arteries heading north out of the downtown core were closed due to wrecks and stalled vehicles, so I had to try a hill on a side street. An AWD SUV had slipped sideways about ¼ of the way up this hill so I had to wait until bystanders got it turned around. I was a little apprehensive as this hill is quite steep, and usually closed with any kind of ice or snow. It starts out fairly flat but then the grade increases sharply about halfway up. I gave the car some gas and....it climbed right up the hill without the traction control even coming on! I couldn't believe it. Felt a bit like the Audi commercial on the ski ramp (which I might almost believe now). Spent the next 2 hours winding through back alleys and dodging wrecked vehicles getting to my wife, and then back home. I immediately concluded that these were the best snow tires I have ever owned.
I followed this trial with a run through a deep snow drift about two weeks later in one of Calgary's unplowed industrial parks. I thought for sure I was going to hang right up in it, but the Audi clawed right through for almost a half block. I measured the snow at 20" deep afterwards!

Initial Review, 17,000 Miles on Tires
March 02, 2012

Not many miles yet but totally impressed. Very quiet on Highway.
Impressive in deep snow and even at -40 C the traction on ice is
excellent. Will definitely buy again as most tires become rough
and lack traction in our temperatures. NW Canada

Initial Review, 6200 Miles on Tires
May 19, 2011

I have the unique experience of driving a set of Bridgestone WS-70 Blizzaks this last winter and a set of Dunlop DS-3 Graspics the previous winter (different vehicle) so I can provide a comparison between the two. The Dunlops hold a major advantage in deep snow traction and dry-road handling over the Blizzaks; the Blizzaks hold a slight advantage in slush, ice and rain conditions over the Dunlops, but not enough to justify their costing 25% more. Bottom line: If you value handling or already have decent winter-driving skills and just need a better winter-edge for your ride, go with the Dunlops and save some money; if you have to have maximum ice & slush traction at any cost and don't care about handling, then go with the Blizzaks.

Initial Review, 500 Miles on Tires
February 03, 2012

THEN: I had Pirelli's P6 Four Season's when I initially purchased my Audi A4, but the tread was almost ¾ gone on the rear tires, and probably ½ depleted on the front. Nothing particularly impressive about the Pirelli's I owned. They did look visually appealing, but they were quite loud on the freeway; actually the noise was almost unbearable! They could have been usable for another year easily, but I couldn't deal with the noise. The dealer recommended I get Pirelli's again. I didn't.
NOW: Kumho's are visually stunning (which is a mild factor I consider). They are relatively affordable (they had a promotion which gave me $50 in rebate). 500 miles plus driven on the tires and as such, they are technically "broken-in" So now I guess I can offer my thoughts about them.
I have 235-45-17 Ecsta 4X on 2002 A4 3.0 Quattro. Performance in the snow is the ultimate measure for me and so far, no regrets. NO spinning at all, braking in the snow and wet weather has improved considerably! I do have Quattro, so you would expect that the Pirelli's I owned previously would perform somewhat decently in the snow and wet weather, but they left a lot to be desired! This was another reason why I wanted new tires.
(Just a stray thought..DO get some Bridgestone Blizzaks if you are looking for some nice, non-compromising winter tires. I had them on my previous vehicle, and they were absolutely phenomenal in the snow and ice and winter in general).
Winter tires on Quattro are not necessary for me; the Ecsta 4X works harmoniously with Quattro and ESP.
The tires feel firm and secure on the road (I highly recommend getting them aligned). Noise level is noticeably lower than previous Pirelli's. Road grip is impressive on all surfaces; this translates to smooth, yet responsive handling. Though not typical of me, I can be somewhat of a spirited almost aggressive driver depending on my mood, and these tires are yet to disappoint

Initial Review, 5000 Miles on Tires
February 15, 2012

hello,it's my first winter with these tires, we did not get a lot of snow this years but a lot of glaze frost so a lot of time the road are covert with black ice, in these condition the tires work great, they where steady and firm.
when i drive to fast in a corner in this kind of condition i slide but i just slow down and the tires take back the grip to correct the problem.
on a dry road they are a bit noisy specialy when you turn, i think it's the softness of the tires !
overall i think they are a good set of tires for winter, but hey i'm not a pro to tell you the best survey, so from Denis, have a good day.

Initial Review, 300 Miles on Tires
February 15, 2012

I purchased this tire for the winter season. Unfortunately it has not snowed too much here where i live. My car makes 320whp and 350wtq to the front wheels. Traction with all seasons or summers in the snow is absolutely ridiculous. I spin, I cant move, the rear likes to move around alot, due to the aftermarket rear sway bar. With these tires i can confidently "Glide" through powder snow as well as the black ice and/ or packed snow the day after. I gave it a 6 for steering responsivness given to the sidewall thickness and its a snow tire. Great buy. Also i had read about the wear on the blizzaks during dry days and these tires have awesome treadwear for a winter tire. I drove on them for 2 weeks with dry above 40 degree temps and they didnt wear a bit. I would recommend these for a winter tire to anyone who deals with ice or snow.

Initial Review, 100 Miles on Tires
February 29, 2012

I was reluctant to buy snow tires for my g6 gt. After walking up our 1000 ft, unpaved, uphill drive way because my car wouldn't make it the last 4 winters I finally gave in and bought these. They are amazing!! I drove through slush all day and 8 inches of snow up the drive way without spinning my tires once!! I should of bought these years ago!!

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
February 24, 2012

I live in Nebraska and my 2wd drive Chevrolet Colorado has very poor snow and ice traction with all season tires and I was considering trading it for a 4wd. I gave the Bridgestone Blizzak’s a try this winter and I have been amazed how good the traction is with them. I have not even needed to use sandbags for added traction. The stopping grip and the rear wheel traction is excellent. I will use these tires for safety in the winter moving forward. I am happy that I do not have to sell my beloved Colorado.

Initial Review, 400 Miles on Tires
November 20, 2011

Fantastic snow tires! I've owned Blizzak tires in the past and I've owned Dunlop snow tires as well, but these new Blizzak tires were day and night better than any snow tire I've ever tried. Yesterday I drove through our first snow fall in Minnesota. We had ice and then a layer of snow above it. These tires gripped the ice as if it was dry. Everyone else was driving in the right lane where the lane was a little more clear and doing about 20 - while I was able to just coast at 60 in the left lane on the snow/ice... When we got off the highway there was deeper snow in the town - these tires just rips and grips the snow like nothing I've seen... honnestly really impressed. I was undecided between these or a performance snow because I didn't want a tire that was too "soft" but even in the dry they felt quite stable, not all squirly like my other set of blizzaks were. Deff will buy these again. Heck - I easily out accellerated suv's off the line in the snow... love it! I do have all wheel drive which helps... stoping grip is superior and cruising stability in the snow is just solid as it could be.

Initial Review, 2,000 Miles on Tires
February 21, 2012

I'm amazed how well these tires perform. They're quiet, grippy on dry roads, are unflappable on snow covered or slushy surfaces, and stop short except when on sheer ice. We opted not to get studs, and are very happy with the results. I've bought my last set of Blizzaks. From here on out, Altimax Artics will be my snow tire choice.