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 May 2026
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 vs General Altimax Arctic — Compared (May 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
85
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
85/100
57 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better snow, noise and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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 3
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 73 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | 92 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 67 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | 90 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 94 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 98 | 10 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | 96 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 57 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | 90 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | 81 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 53 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Blizzak DM-V2 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 50 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | General Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 85 |
| Dry | 90 | 87 |
| Wet | 90 | 86 |
| Snow | 99 | 88 |
| Comfort | 90 | 86 |
| Noise | 88 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 84 |
| Handling | 80 | 78 |
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
85
/ 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 is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that delivers exceptional traction in snow, slush, and ice. While some users note a slight increase in road noise and a softer feel in dry conditions, the consensus is that it offers performance comparable to premium brands at a significantly more accessible price point.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow and icy conditions
- High value-for-money ratio compared to premium winter tire brands
- Impressive tread longevity for a dedicated winter compound
- Reliable handling and braking performance in cold-weather environments
Cons
- Increased road noise, particularly as the tire wears
- Soft sidewall feel leading to less precise handling on dry pavement
- Potential for minor understeer during aggressive cornering
- Not intended for year-round use, as dry performance is compromised
Observations
- Owners of RWD vehicles, including sports roadsters, report high confidence in deep snow and winter conditions.
- Users with light-weight vehicles (e.g., Chevy HHR, FWD Civics) report excellent starting and stopping capability on slippery surfaces.
- Drivers of heavy-duty trucks and SUVs appreciate the durability and load-handling capabilities of the tire's construction.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | B · General Altimax Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 48 | 1 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 17″ |
| Tread depth | 13/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 44 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
Bridgestone
85
/ 100
General
Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better snow, noise and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 99 vs 88 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 88 vs 83 on noise.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 86 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 86 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
Tire B · General Altimax Arctic
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 also compared with
General Altimax Arctic 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.