Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 45 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 vs Dunlop Winter Response 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 2 road tests and 45 + 10 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Response 2 is ahead, 82–71
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Tests 89 · 2 tests Owners 84 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 51 in 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! (wet braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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66
Dry
Winter Response 2 +1177Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 74 (est.) Reviews found online 64 83 Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 66
Winter Response 2: 60% × 74 (est.) + 40% × 82.7 = 77
No road tests of dry for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
No road tests of dry for Winter Response 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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72
Wet
Winter Response 2 +1991Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 93 Reviews found online 73 89 Blizzak WS80: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.8 = 72
Winter Response 2: 60% × 93 + 40% × 88.6 = 91
No road tests of wet for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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77
Snow
Winter Response 2 +784Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 74 (est.) 84 Reviews found online 82 84 Blizzak WS80: 60% × 74.2 (est.) + 40% × 82.1 = 77
Winter Response 2: 60% × 84 + 40% × 84.3 = 84
No road tests of snow for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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68
Comfort
Winter Response 2 +1280Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 68 85 Blizzak WS80: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 68.3 = 68
Winter Response 2: 40% × 72 (est.) + 60% × 85.1 = 80
No road tests of comfort for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Winter Response 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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66
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) – Reviews found online 64 – Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.1 = 66
No road tests of noise for Blizzak WS80. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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67
Treadwear
Winter Response 2 +875Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 67 81 Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 66.6 = 67
Winter Response 2: 60% × 71.7 (est.) + 40% × 80.8 = 75
No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for Winter Response 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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68
Handling (owners)
Winter Response 2 +1583Why this score
Source Blizzak WS80 Winter Response 2 Reviews found online 68 83
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 | Dunlop Winter Response 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 82 |
| Dry | 66 | 77 |
| Wet | 72 | 91 |
| Snow | 77 | 84 |
| Comfort | 68 | 80 |
| Noise | 66 | – |
| Treadwear | 67 | 75 |
| Handling (owners) | 68 | 83 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
Blizzak WS80
82
/ 100
Winter Response 2
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak WS80 | Winter Response 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/9 2018 Autofil Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | #1/51 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Blizzak WS80
Pros
- Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow, slush, and ice
- High confidence and safety during severe winter weather and mountain driving
- Surprisingly low road noise on dry and wet pavement
Cons
- Reduced fuel economy / lower gas mileage
- Slightly squishy handling and reduced braking performance on dry roads
- May feel less responsive than standard all-season or newer model compounds in non-winter conditions
Tire B Winter Response 2
Pros
- Outstanding grip and confidence in snow and ice
- Excellent wet weather performance and braking
- High level of cabin comfort and low noise levels
Cons
- Faster tread wear reported by some users
- Slightly noticeable tire roll in fast corners above 50 mph
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 | B · Dunlop Winter Response 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 21 | 15 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 18″ | 14″ – 16″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 2 | 2 |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
82
/ 100
Dunlop Winter Response 2
Winner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better wet, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 91 vs 72 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 83 vs 68 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 80 vs 68 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 77 vs 66 on dry.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
Tire B · Dunlop Winter Response 2
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Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Dunlop Winter Response 2, 91 vs 72 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Dunlop Winter Response 2, 77 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Dunlop Winter Response 2, 84 vs 77 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Dunlop Winter Response 2, 80 vs 68 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS80 or Winter Response 2?
Dunlop Winter Response 2, 75 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology