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Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Winter i*pike RS2 leads, 71–67 Narrow edge

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Tire ABridgestone

Blizzak WS90

Winter

Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 64 · 21 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires (overall ranking)

Tire BHankook

Winter i*pike RS2

Winter

Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 76 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2023 Studded Tyre Test (subj. comfort)

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Blizzak WS90 +13
    59
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)8449
    Reviews found online5474
    Dry Braking (% of best)90%88%
  2. 67

    Wet

    Winter i*pike RS2 +7
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)6571
    Reviews found online6978
    Wet Braking (% of best)79%92%
  3. 73

    Snow

    Winter i*pike RS2 +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)6976
    Reviews found online7877
    Snow Braking (% of best)70%99%
    Snow Handling (% of best)85%99%
  4. 64

    Comfort

    Winter i*pike RS2 +14
    78
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)6881
    Reviews found online5975
  5. 64

    Noise

    Blizzak WS90 +4
    60
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7055
    Reviews found online55–
  6. 62

    Treadwear

    Winter i*pike RS2 +9
    71
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Reviews found online6075
  7. 63

    Handling

    Winter i*pike RS2 +16
    79
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2
    Reviews found online6379
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Relative Score 67 71
Dry 72 59
Wet 67 74
Snow 73 76
Comfort 64 78
Noise 64 60
Treadwear 62 71
Handling 63 79

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.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
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Less important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Blizzak WS90

Winter i*pike RS2

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Winter i*pike RS2ΔBoth?
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 +2.3 Different tests
Ice Braking Ice 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 91% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test +9.2 Different tests
Ice Traction Ice 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 87% #4/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test +13.4 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/15 · 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires 8% #13/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test +92.3 Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 70% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 99% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test −29.0 Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 85% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 99% #4/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test −13.8 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 94% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 80% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test +13.8 Different tests
Subj. Noise Subj 91% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 60% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test +30.6 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 79% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 92% #8/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test −12.6 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

Winner: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 if dry and noise matter most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 79 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 78 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 72 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 71 vs 62 on treadwear.

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

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

71

Narrow edge

Winter i*pike RS2

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