74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
66/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
84/100
20 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter — 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
72
/ 100
Objective (60%)
64/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
78/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — better comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Cinturato Winter if wet, handling and snow matter 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)
Cinturato Winter leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 58 | 67 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 74 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 90% | 96% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Cinturato Winter leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 55 | 83 |
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 79% | 89% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Cinturato Winter leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 65 | 81 |
| Tire Rack owners | 93 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 98% | 98% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 85% | 100% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Blizzak WS90 leads by 51
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | 1 |
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 64 | 81 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Cinturato Winter leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | 77 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Blizzak WS90 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 72 |
| SimpleTire owners | 82 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Cinturato Winter leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak WS90 | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 74 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | Pirelli Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 72 |
| Dry | 68 | 70 |
| Wet | 67 | 85 |
| Snow | 76 | 84 |
| Comfort | 84 | 33 |
| Noise | 77 | 78 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 72 |
| Handling | 65 | 74 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
Tire A
72
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 96% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -5.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 4% #27/49 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | +8.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 98% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +0.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 85% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -14.2 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 94% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 50% #12/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +43.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 80% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +20 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 79% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 89% #8/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | -10.4 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and confidence-inspiring performance on ice, deep snow, and slush. While users occasionally note increased road noise or less precise handling on dry pavement compared to all-season alternatives, the consensus remains that it is a premier choice for severe winter climates.
Pros
- Outstanding grip and acceleration on ice and hard-packed snow
- Excellent braking performance in hazardous winter conditions
- Strong capability in slush and deep snow
- High level of driver confidence in extreme weather
Cons
- Increased road noise during highway driving
- Less responsive or 'softer' handling feel on dry pavement
- Potential for minor rubbing depending on vehicle fitment
- Perceived as less refined in dry conditions compared to the previous WS80 generation
Observations
- Users operating rear-wheel-drive vehicles without modern traction control reported high satisfaction with the tire's ability to maintain mobility.
- Drivers of front-wheel-drive sedans noted significant improvements in winter handling and the ability to avoid using four-wheel-drive modes in moderate conditions.
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter is generally regarded as a highly capable winter tire, particularly excelling in wet, icy, and snowy conditions. While users praise its initial comfort and winter-weather traction, there is a consensus that performance, particularly regarding dry-road grip and noise levels, tends to degrade noticeably as the tire ages.
Pros
- Exceptional traction on snow and ice
- Strong performance in wet conditions
- Competitive pricing compared to premium rivals
- Comfortable ride quality when new
Cons
- Noticeable increase in road noise over time
- Average to poor dry-road handling and emergency braking
- Significant degradation of performance characteristics after several seasons
- Soft sidewall construction affecting steering feedback
Observations
- Users driving smaller, efficiency-focused vehicles like the Toyota Prius report high satisfaction with the tire's wet and icy road performance.
- Drivers note that the tire's soft sidewall design may not be ideal for those seeking sharp, sporty handling characteristics.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 45 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Bridgestone
72
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — better comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Cinturato Winter if wet, handling and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 84 vs 33 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Cinturato Winter scores 85 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Cinturato Winter scores 74 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Cinturato Winter scores 84 vs 76 on snow.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 also compared with
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 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.