88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
90/100
33 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 vs Continental IceContact 3 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
79/100
10 professional tests
User signal (40%)
76/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better treadwear, noise and dry. Pick the Continental IceContact 3 if handling matters most to you.
Read full
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 56 |
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 86 |
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 86 |
| Tire Rack owners | 94 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 98 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 100 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 73 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 65 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 32
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 50 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
IceContact 3 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 83 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | Continental IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 74 |
| Dry | 90 | 68 |
| Wet | 90 | 84 |
| Snow | 99 | 88 |
| Comfort | 90 | 89 |
| Noise | 88 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 50 |
| Handling | 80 | 83 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
88
/ 100
Tire A
74
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is widely regarded as a premier dedicated winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice. While users acknowledge that the soft rubber compound leads to faster tread wear if used in warmer temperatures, the consensus is that the safety and handling benefits in harsh winter conditions far outweigh these longevity concerns.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on snow and ice
- High level of driver confidence in severe winter weather
- Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Significant improvement over all-season tires for winter handling
Cons
- Faster tread wear compared to all-season tires
- Performance degrades if left on the vehicle during warmer spring/summer months
- Potential for reduced wet-weather grip as the tire wears down
Observations
- Users report excellent performance across a variety of vehicle types, including heavy SUVs like the BMW X5 and VW Touareg, as well as light trucks like the Ford F-150.
- Owners of hybrid vehicles noted that the tire's soft compound may wear more quickly under the specific torque characteristics of their vehicles.
- Some users successfully utilize oversized tire diameters for increased ground clearance in deep snow without sacrificing ride quality.
The Continental IceContact 3 is highly regarded for its exceptional traction on packed snow and ice, offering a confidence-inspiring driving experience in severe winter conditions. While performance is competitive with top-tier rivals, some users have noted concerns regarding the long-term durability of the studs under regular highway use.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on packed snow and ice
- Predictable handling in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on lake ice tracks
- Good tread longevity for the rubber compound itself
Cons
- Premature stud wear or loss reported after moderate mileage
- Potential for reduced stability in deeper snow (4-5 cm) depending on tire width
- Unpredictable handling characteristics when paired with certain electronic stability control systems
Observations
- Users noted that wider tire profiles may struggle to maintain contact with the road surface in deeper snow conditions.
- Performance is highly effective in coastal, mild-to-severe winter climates like Northern Norway.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | B · Continental IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 48 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 13/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
Bridgestone
74
/ 100
Continental
Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better treadwear, noise and dry. Pick the Continental IceContact 3 if handling matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 82 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 88 vs 65 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 68 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 99 vs 88 on snow.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
Tire B · Continental IceContact 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 also compared with
Continental IceContact 3 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.