If you live in a climate where temperatures frequently hover at or below freezing, there’s a good chance you’ve considered a set of winter tires. On that note, it’s also entirely possible that you’ve deliberated between the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5—the flagships of their brands. While each tire manufacturer touts its winter offering as the best, we know there is only one spot on top of the podium.
To determine whether the Bridgestone or Nokian is superior in snow and on ice, I ventured to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to the Bridgestone Winter Driving School to drive the industry’s leading winter tires, back-to-back, on a specially made ice track in a late-model Toyota 4Runner 4×4 SUV.
What Are Winter Tires?
As a refresher, unlike high-performance, all-season, and off-road tires, winter tires are engineered so their tread compound remains flexible and pliable when temperatures drop below 45°F, so they are more effective at gripping the pavement. In addition, their tread surfaces feature thousands of tiny “sipes” or small cuts. These small incisions, which don’t go deeper than the tread block, are designed to catch and hold the snow when the tire drives over it. This provides additional grip, as snow sticks to itself well. Lastly, winter tires have angular blocks and sharp edges to their tread blocks to grab and hold the snow and ice firmly.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
If there’s a word widely associated with winter tires, it’s “Blizzak.” The name represents Bridgestone’s growing line of dedicated winter tires (first introduced over 30 years ago). The Blizzak DM-V2 represents the company’s latest efforts, incorporating all its leading technology and design.
Bridgestone’s proprietary winter tire innovation is called “Multicell” technology. Without getting too technical, the company’s engineers have formulated a tread compound with thousands of tiny porous bubbles that spread and diffuse away the slippery layer of water on ice. Look at the surface closely; it resembles the surface of a sponge. The “Multicell” technology replenishes as the tire wears, so the grip remains consistent throughout the tire’s life.
The edges of the DM-V2 are sharp and jagged for added bite into deeper snow and snowbanks. In addition, Bridgestone’s engineers have designed the tire’s contact patch (the part of the tread that stays in touch with the road) to remain flat during driving—this ensures the greatest number of sipes and tread blocks are in contact with the surface to maximize traction.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
The Finnish tire maker is credited with inventing winter tires nearly a century ago, and it’s the only tire manufacturer in the world with a dedicated year-round testing facility. The Hakkapeliitta R5 is the company’s flagship offering, loaded with its latest innovation.
Nokian’s proprietary winter tire innovation is “Arctic Grip Crystals,” which are engineered to aid traction in ice. To be more specific, these are microscopic crystals that are mixed into the winter tread compound. Hundreds of these crystals are exposed to work like built-in studs—providing sharp gripping edges to hold the ice. New crystals are exposed as the tire wears, replenishing the grip for the tire’s entire service life.
The Hakkapeliitta R5 also features a new “Double Block Grip” design to improve grip in slippery conditions. This tire design features a stiff row of tread blocks starting in the center before it splits in two as it approaches the shoulder area.
Back-to-Back Comparison
I had the opportunity to spend time with both tires on a new Toyota 4Runner 4×4. The traditional SUV has a high center of gravity, emphasizing grip (or lack thereof) regarding tires. All the tires were sized 265/70-17 and mounted on aftermarket wheels—a level playing field.
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 delivered good grip off the line, without much slip or drama. Under braking, it did equally as well. Stops were short and straight, and it didn’t feel like any tires were slipping. Cornering, aka lateral grip, didn’t seem as strong. The front tires continued forward (understeer) even though I was turning the wheel in one hairpin section of snow over ice. Overall, the Hakkapeliitta R5 felt heavy and stiff—they added weight to the steering, which was not welcomed.
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 was strong off the line, delivering good grip even at moderate throttle amounts. Braking delivered similar performance, with the tires allowing me to put a surprising amount of braking force into the pedal before ABS activated. The Blizzak DM-V2 did very well in the hairpin section, seeming to have significantly more grip on the ice. Overall, the Blizzak DM-V2 tires felt more sporty and agile—my driving was more natural, and I didn’t feel like I was driving on “pins and needles” on the ice and snow.
Which Is The Better Snow Tire?
Despite delivering very similar levels of grip in terms of acceleration and braking, there was a wide margin between the Nokian and Bridgestone regarding lateral (cornering) grip. The Blizzak bit into the snow better and held onto the ice with much more tenacity—my confidence level was much higher. I drove a better “line” on the surface as I knew the tires would provide the traction I needed, and I wasn’t worried about hitting patches of polished ice.
It’s also interesting to note the weights of each tire. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 (47 lbs.) is about 12 percent heavier than the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 (42 lbs.), an additional mass that I could feel from behind the wheel. And it’s more than just a subjective observation, as the added weight of the Nokian will decrease fuel economy and worsen handling.
When comparing the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, the Bridgestone is the clear winner when it comes to winter tires.