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Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 vs General Altimax Winter 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.
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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
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 75 |
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 61 |
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 74 |
| Tire Rack owners | 94 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 98 | 100 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | – |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | – |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 25 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 85 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak DM-V2 | Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 80 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | General Altimax Winter 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 73 |
| Dry | 90 | 78 |
| Wet | 90 | 69 |
| Snow | 99 | 84 |
| Comfort | 90 | 80 |
| Noise | 88 | 25 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 85 |
| Handling | 80 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Tire A
Tire B
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 Winter 3 is viewed as a capable, budget-friendly winter tire that provides reliable traction in snow and slush. While users appreciate its value and resistance to aquaplaning, some find the handling feedback and noise levels at higher speeds to be less refined compared to premium competitors.
Pros
- Strong performance in snow and slush conditions
- Effective resistance to aquaplaning
- Competitive price-to-quality ratio
Cons
- Increased road noise at highway speeds
- Soft sidewalls resulting in vague handling and road feedback
- Mediocre emergency wet braking performance
Observations
- Users noted that the rubber compound feels firmer than premium alternatives like Michelin, impacting overall ride comfort.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 | B · General Altimax Winter 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 | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
Bridgestone
General
Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better noise, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Winter 3 if treadwear matters most to you.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 88 vs 25 on noise.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 69 on wet.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 99 vs 84 on snow.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 90 vs 78 on dry.
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.