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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — 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 + 5 road tests and 21 + 5 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Blizzak WS90 68, Winter i*pike RS2 69.

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Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Tire BHankook

Winter i*pike RS2

Winter

± 6

Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 73 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 73

    Dry

    Blizzak WS90 +17
    56
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests8549
    Reviews found online5466

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 84.9 + 40% × 54.1 = 73

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 49.2 + 40% × 65.9 = 56

  2. 67

    Wet

    Winter i*pike RS2 +6
    73
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests6671
    Reviews found online6976

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.6 + 40% × 68.5 = 67

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 71 + 40% × 75.7 = 73

  3. 73

    Snow

    Winter i*pike RS2 +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests6976
    Reviews found online7976

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 68.9 + 40% × 78.5 = 73

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 75.9 + 40% × 76.4 = 76

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Winter i*pike RS2 +11
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6979
    Reviews found online5568

    Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.8 + 60% × 55.2 = 61

    Winter i*pike RS2: 40% × 79.3 + 60% × 67.6 = 72

  5. 63

    Noise

    Blizzak WS90 +4
    59
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests7055
    Reviews found online51≈ 66 (est.)

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 51.1 = 63

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 54.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 59

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter i*pike RS2. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    Winter i*pike RS2 +11
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5875

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.8 = 61

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 74.9 = 72

    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 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter i*pike RS2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Winter i*pike RS2 +10
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Reviews found online6272
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    73
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests–73
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Relative Score 68 69
Dry 73 56
Wet 67 73
Snow 73 76
Comfort 61 72
Noise 63 59
Treadwear 61 72
Handling (owners) 62 72
Efficiency – 73

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Blizzak WS90

± 6

Winter i*pike RS2

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.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 90% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 88% #16/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 79% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 82% #11/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 91% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 87% #4/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 70% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 85% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 98% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 94% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 80% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 91% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 60% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #8/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test #6/8 2023 Studded Tyre Test – Different tests

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
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS90 review

Tire B Winter i*pike RS2

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
  • Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
  • High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years

Cons

  • Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
  • Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
All owner themes in the Winter i*pike RS2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available45—
Rim diameters15″ – 19″—
Tread depth11/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2

Too close to call: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is stronger on dry and noise. Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 is stronger on comfort, treadwear and handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 56 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 72 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 72 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 72 vs 62 on handling.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
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Tire B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 73 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 56 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 76 vs 73 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 63 vs 59 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 72 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Winter i*pike RS2?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 72 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