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Head-to-head Updated

General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — 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 + 0 road tests and 33 + 36 owner reviews. How we score

Blizzak DM-V2 is ahead, 71–66

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Category by category

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

  1. 49

    Dry

    Blizzak DM-V2 +18
    67
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests47≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5367

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.2 + 40% × 52.9 = 49

    Blizzak DM-V2: 60% × 67.5 (est.) + 40% × 66.8 = 67

    No road tests of dry for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 68

    Wet

    Blizzak DM-V2 +7
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests66≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online7277

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.9 + 40% × 72.3 = 68

    Blizzak DM-V2: 60% × 74.2 (est.) + 40% × 77.1 = 75

    No road tests of wet for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 76

    Snow

    Blizzak DM-V2 +3
    79
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8085

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 79.9 = 76

    Blizzak DM-V2: 60% × 75.2 (est.) + 40% × 85.1 = 79

    No road tests of snow for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 65

    Comfort

    Blizzak DM-V2 +4
    69
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests69≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6269

    Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.8 + 60% × 62 = 65

    Blizzak DM-V2: 40% × 68.8 (est.) + 60% × 69.4 = 69

    No road tests of comfort for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 69

    Noise

    Altimax Arctic 12 +1
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests72≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6370

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.4 + 40% × 62.9 = 69

    Blizzak DM-V2: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 69.5 = 68

    No road tests of noise for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Altimax Arctic 12 +10
    61
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online7458

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 69.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 71

    Blizzak DM-V2: 60% × 63.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.7 = 61

    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 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak DM-V2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 65

    Handling (owners)

    Blizzak DM-V2 +10
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2
    Reviews found online6575
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax Arctic 12Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
Relative Score 66 71
Dry 49 67
Wet 68 75
Snow 76 79
Comfort 65 69
Noise 69 68
Treadwear 71 61
Handling (owners) 65 75

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
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Altimax Arctic 12

± 7

Blizzak DM-V2

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.

DisciplineCategoryAltimax Arctic 12Blizzak DM-V2ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #9/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test #5/8 2022 Consumer Reports Winter/Snow Truck/SUV Tires – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A 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
All owner themes in the Altimax Arctic 12 review

Tire B Blizzak DM-V2

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of driver confidence in severe winter weather
  • Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Faster tread wear compared to all-season tires
  • Performance degrades if left on the vehicle during warmer spring/summer months
  • Potential for reduced wet-weather grip as the tire wears down
All owner themes in the Blizzak DM-V2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Altimax Arctic 12 B · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available3873
Rim diameters15″ – 19″15″ – 22″
Tread depth12/32″13/32″
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi44 psi
Sizes in common1212

Which one should you actually buy?

General Altimax Arctic 12

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2

Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 — better dry, handling and wet. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 67 vs 49 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 71 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 75 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 scores 75 vs 68 on wet.

Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
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Tire B · Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
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Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Which is better in the wet, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2, 75 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2, 67 vs 49 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2, 79 vs 76 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 68 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2, 69 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic 12 or Blizzak DM-V2?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 71 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