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 General Altimax Arctic 12 — 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%)
60/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
87/100
56 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better dry, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if treadwear matters most to you.
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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 45
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 17 |
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | 87 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 29
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 43 |
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 85 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | 91 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 25
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 59 |
| Tire Rack owners | 94 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 98 | 95 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | 96 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 86 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | 91 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | 85 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 100 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | 90 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 65 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 74 |
| Dry | 90 | 45 |
| Wet | 90 | 61 |
| Snow | 99 | 74 |
| Comfort | 90 | 86 |
| Noise | 88 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 86 |
| Handling | 80 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
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 General Altimax Arctic 12 is widely regarded as a high-value, top-tier winter tire that excels in deep snow, slush, and icy conditions. While users note some expected trade-offs in dry pavement handling and increased road noise, the consensus highlights its exceptional longevity and performance-to-price ratio compared to premium competitors.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and confidence in deep snow, slush, and ice
- Exceptional tread life and durability for a winter-specific tire
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium brands like Nokian or Bridgestone
- Reliable performance across a diverse range of vehicles, from small sedans to heavy trucks
Cons
- Noticeable increase in road noise, particularly as the tire wears
- Softer sidewalls leading to 'squishy' or less precise handling on dry pavement
- Slightly higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor decrease in fuel economy
- Reduced grip on dry and wet pavement compared to dedicated all-season or summer tires
Observations
- Drivers of RWD vehicles, such as the BMW Z4, reported high satisfaction with the tire's ability to maintain control in harsh winter conditions.
- Users with light-weight vehicles (e.g., Chevy HHR) and heavy-duty trucks (e.g., Ram, F-150) both report consistent, reliable traction in deep snow.
- The XL-rated versions provide a robust, beefy sidewall that some users appreciate for sport-tuned suspensions.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | B · General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 48 | 38 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 15″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 13/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
Bridgestone
74
/ 100
General
Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better dry, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 45 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 61 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 99 vs 74 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 88 vs 83 on noise.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
Tire B · General Altimax Arctic 12
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 also compared with
General Altimax Arctic 12 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.