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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Nokian Nordman 7 — 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 + 8 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Blizzak WS90 and Nordman 7 are level at 68.

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Nokian Nordman 7
Tire BNokian

Nordman 7

Winter

± 8Provisional

Tests 62 · 1 test Owners 76 · 8 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow handling)

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 +14
    59
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests8552
    Reviews found online5470

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

    Nordman 7: 60% × 51.6 + 40% × 69.9 = 59

  2. 67

    Wet

    Nordman 7 +1
    68
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6662
    Reviews found online6977

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

    Nordman 7: 60% × 62.1 + 40% × 76.8 = 68

  3. 73

    Snow

    Nordman 7 +2
    75
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6972
    Reviews found online7979

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

    Nordman 7: 60% × 72.2 + 40% × 79 = 75

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Nordman 7 +10
    71
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests69≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online5573

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

    Nordman 7: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 72.8 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for Nordman 7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    Level
    63
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7060
    Reviews found online51≈ 66 (est.)

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

    Nordman 7: 60% × 60.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 63

    No owner ratings of noise for Nordman 7. 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

    Nordman 7 +12
    73
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online5878

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

    Nordman 7: 60% × 70.6 (est.) + 40% × 77.8 = 73

    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 Nordman 7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Nordman 7 +12
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Reviews found online6274
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    68
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Nordman 7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–68
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Nokian Nordman 7
Relative Score 68 68
Dry 73 59
Wet 67 68
Snow 73 75
Comfort 61 71
Noise 63 63
Treadwear 61 73
Handling (owners) 62 74
Efficiency – 68

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

± 8

Nordman 7

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 1 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 finished ahead 1 times and Nokian Nordman 7 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Nordman 7ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/15 #7/15 – 1–0 in 1 shared test 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 Nordman 7

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and confidence in heavy snow, slush, and icy winter conditions
  • Impressive tread wear and durability over multiple seasons with minimal stud loss
  • Good value and affordability compared to top-tier competitors

Cons

  • Increased road noise on dry surfaces, typical of studded winter tires
  • Decline in ice performance and occasional spin out as the tires age
  • Some wheel spin or reduced traction when accelerating from a stop in deep loose snow
All owner themes in the Nordman 7 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 B · Nokian Nordman 7
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

Nokian Nordman 7

Too close to call: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and Nokian Nordman 7 are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is stronger on dry. Nokian Nordman 7 is stronger on treadwear, handling and comfort. Nokian Nordman 7 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 8 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Nokian Nordman 7 scores 73 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Nokian Nordman 7 scores 74 vs 62 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Nokian Nordman 7 scores 71 vs 61 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
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Tire B · Nokian Nordman 7
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Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 68 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 59 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 75 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Neither, by our numbers: 63 vs 63 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Nokian Nordman 7, 71 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Nordman 7?

Nokian Nordman 7, 73 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