Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 64 · 21 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs General Altimax Arctic 12 — 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 1 + 1 road tests and 21 + 31 owner reviews. How we score
Blizzak WS90 leads, 68–66 Narrow edge
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Tests 64 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
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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73
Dry
Blizzak WS90 +2251Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 85 48 Reviews found online 55 56 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 81% Dry Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 91% 91% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 85 + 40% × 55.1 = 73
Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.8 + 40% × 55.6 = 51
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67
Wet
Altimax Arctic 12 +269Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 65 65 Reviews found online 69 75 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 79% 76% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 81% 88% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 69 = 67
Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.2 + 40% × 75 = 69
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73
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +477Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 69 74 Reviews found online 79 81 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 84% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 91% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 70% 75% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 85% 90% Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 55% 58% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 69.1 + 40% × 79.2 = 73
Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 81.1 = 77
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61
Comfort
Altimax Arctic 12 +465Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 68 68 Reviews found online 56 64 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 94% 94% Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 56 = 61
Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 63.5 = 65
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63
Noise
Altimax Arctic 12 +669Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 70 73 Reviews found online 52 64 Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 91% 94% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 51.7 = 63
Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 63.5 = 69
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61
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +970Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 58 73 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.2 (est.) + 40% × 57.8 = 61
Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 68.5 (est.) + 40% × 72.9 = 70
No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Altimax Arctic 12. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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62
Handling (owners)
Altimax Arctic 12 +567Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 Altimax Arctic 12 Reviews found online 62 67
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 66 |
| Dry | 73 | 51 |
| Wet | 67 | 69 |
| Snow | 73 | 77 |
| Comfort | 61 | 65 |
| Noise | 63 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 61 | 70 |
| Handling (owners) | 62 | 67 |
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
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Blizzak WS90
66
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
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.
In the overall rankings of 3 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 finished ahead 3 times and General Altimax Arctic 12 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak WS90 | Altimax Arctic 12 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% | 81% | +9.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Circle | Dry | 91% | 91% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 79% | 76% | +3.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 81% | 88% | −6.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 100% | 84% | +15.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 100% | 91% | +8.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 70% | 75% | −4.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 85% | 90% | −4.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 55% | 58% | −3.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 94% | 94% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 91% | 94% | −3.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 79% | 76% | +3.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #8/10 | #9/10 | – | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Blizzak WS90
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
Cons
- Increased road noise during highway driving
- Less responsive or 'softer' handling feel on dry pavement
- Potential for minor rubbing depending on vehicle fitment
Tire B Altimax Arctic 12
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction in heavy snow, slush, and ice
- Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
- Impressive tread life and long-term durability across multiple winter seasons
Cons
- Noticeable road noise, which can increase as the tires wear
- Slightly soft, squishy, or vague handling characteristics on dry pavement
- Higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor decrease in fuel economy
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | B · General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 45 | 38 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 15″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 28 | 28 |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
66
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
Narrow edge: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — better dry. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if treadwear, noise and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 51 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 70 vs 61 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 63 on noise.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 77 vs 73 on snow.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Tire B · General Altimax Arctic 12
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Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 69 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 51 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 77 vs 73 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 69 vs 63 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 65 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Altimax Arctic 12?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 70 vs 61 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