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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 — 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 + 4 road tests and 21 + 39 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Blizzak WS90 68, Hakkapeliitta R3 69.

Check price on Amazon · Blizzak WS90 Check price on Amazon · Hakkapeliitta R3
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Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
Tire BNokian

Hakkapeliitta R3

Winter

± 6

Tests 70 · 4 tests Owners 68 · 39 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)

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 +6
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests8573
    Reviews found online5457

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 57.3 = 67

  2. 67

    Wet

    Hakkapeliitta R3 +2
    69
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests6664
    Reviews found online6976

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 60% × 64.4 + 40% × 75.8 = 69

  3. 73

    Snow

    Hakkapeliitta R3 +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests6971
    Reviews found online7985

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 60% × 71 + 40% × 85 = 77

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Hakkapeliitta R3 +11
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests69≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5574

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 40% × 69.8 (est.) + 60% × 74.3 = 72

    No road tests of comfort for Hakkapeliitta R3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    Hakkapeliitta R3 +6
    69
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7073
    Reviews found online5162

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 60% × 73 + 40% × 61.8 = 69

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    Blizzak WS90 +1
    60
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online5856

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

    Hakkapeliitta R3: 60% × 62.8 (est.) + 40% × 56.3 = 60

    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 Hakkapeliitta R3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Hakkapeliitta R3 +5
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Reviews found online6267
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests–72
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
Relative Score 68 69
Dry 73 67
Wet 67 69
Snow 73 77
Comfort 61 72
Noise 63 69
Treadwear 61 60
Handling (owners) 62 67
Efficiency – 72

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

Hakkapeliitta R3

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.

In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 finished ahead 2 times and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Hakkapeliitta R3ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/15 #8/15 – 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16

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 Hakkapeliitta R3

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and acceleration on snow and ice
  • Predictable and confidence-inspiring handling in harsh winter weather
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls result in vague steering feedback and 'wandering' at highway speeds
  • Faster tread wear compared to all-season or harder-compound winter tires
  • Reduced performance and stability on dry, warm asphalt
All owner themes in the Hakkapeliitta R3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 B · Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available455
Rim diameters15″ – 19″17″ – 19″
Tread depth11/32″10.5/32″
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure44 psi51 psi
Sizes in common44

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3

Too close to call: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is stronger on dry. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 is stronger on comfort, noise and snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 scores 72 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 scores 69 vs 63 on noise.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 scores 77 vs 73 on snow.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
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Tire B · Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
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Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 69 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3, 77 vs 73 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3, 69 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3, 72 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Hakkapeliitta R3?

Neither, by our numbers: 61 vs 60 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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