Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Review: Exceptional Winter Tire for Crossovers and SUVs

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Bridgestone Blizzak Dm-V2 Review

Dry

90%

Wet

90%

Snow

95%

Comfort

95%

Noise

90%

Treadwear

95%

Overall

93%

Pros

  • Best-in-class acceleration and braking on snow
  • Exceptional handling on snow-covered roads
  • Outstanding traction and braking on ice
  • Very good handling on icy surfaces
  • Excellent handling and braking on dry roads
  • Safe handling and short braking distances in the rain
  • Reasonably quiet for a winter tire
  • Comfortable on uneven surfaces

Cons

  • Bridgestone doesn’t provide a treadwear warranty
  • Expensive

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Having a crossover or SUV with an all-wheel-drive system can help when you’re driving on snow. However, these vehicles won’t provide you with better traction on slippery surfaces. Instead, they can use more from the available traction. And, by available traction, I mean what the tires will give you.

It’s no secret that a normal vehicle with winter tires will perform better than an SUV with all-season or summer tires on snow. There is no all-wheel-drive system that can make your vehicle safe on snow or ice without the right set of tires. And there never will be. Moreover, with a set of winter tires, such as the Bridgestone Blizzak DM V2 review, every car can drive good on snow and ice.

Bridgestone’s new entry in the winter tire category for crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks brings many improvements. The tire also inherits the DM-V1, which was already one of the best winter tires on the market.

The Japanese tiremaker is already at the forefront with its Blizzak winter tire lineup, winning many accolades throughout the years. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, though – Bridgestone is a premium tire company that knows how to design an excellent tire.

But how does the new model fare when compared to other premium winter tires? The competition in this category is fiercer than ever, with some budget-oriented companies producing excellent tires at lower prices.

To answer that question, I prepared a detailed Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 review, where I’ll talk about every characteristic of the tire.

Before we do that, though, let’s see the advanced features the Japanese engineers utilized in its new winter tire.

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What are the features of the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2?

According to Bridgestone, the Blizzak DM-V2 is a crossover, SUV, and light-truck winter tire for unpredictable winter road conditions. The Japanese tiremaker utilized its adaptive Nano-Pro Tech Multicell compound, which is one of the most advanced in the business. Such technology lets Bridgestone differentiate itself from the competition.

The rubber stays not only pliable in freezing conditions but also contains microscopic bite particles and utilizes water-loving hydrophilic coating. The former creates more traction edges, while the latter literally takes water out of the surface. As a result, the rubber can grip on very slippery surfaces, such as ice and snow.

Bridgestone molded the tread compound in a directional tread design with 15% more aggressive block edges when compared to the DM-V1. Moreover, the tire features four wide circumferential grooves for better hydroplaning resistance on wet and slushy surfaces. Meanwhile, the 3D zig-zag sipes increase the number of biting edges for traction on snow and ice.

Interestingly, the Blizzak DM-V2 features 55% NanoPro Tech Multicell Compound and 45% regular winter compound. Therefore, the owners won’t enjoy the advanced rubber compound throughout the lifetime of the tire. However, the truth is that most winter tires become worse on snow and ice with time.

As for sizing, Bridgestone offers the Blizzak DM-V2 only in regular and P-metric sizes, but not LT-metric sizes. These range from 15-inch wheel diameter to 22-inch wheel diameter, which covers the most popular SUVs, crossovers, and light trucks on the market. For those that own heavy-duty trucks and want a reliable tire for towing or hauling, Bridgestone offers the Blizzak LT.

Bridgestone Blizzak Dm-V2 Review

What are the maintenance indicators?

Bridgestone utilized the regular tread wear indicators for the Blizzak DM-V2. These are narrow rubber bars that sit recessed in the circumferential grooves of the tire. As the tread wears down, the rubber bars become more visible. When the tread depth reaches 5/32-inch, the bars will be completely flush with the surface.

When that happens, you should immediately replace your winter tires. At that point, the tire won’t be usable on snow and ice anymore. Besides, it’s also illegal to drive with less tread depth than 5/32-inch on winter tires in most states. For all-season and summer tires, though, that limit is 2/32-inch.

Fortunately, the Blizzak DM-V2 has an excellent treadlife. Owners report outstanding longevity, and Bridgestone is already known for producing long-lasting tires. Nonetheless, the company doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty, as opposed to Michelin, who provide 30,000-mile warranties on their winter tires.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

When tire manufacturers design their winter tires to perform outstandingly well on snow and ice, they usually sacrifice dry traction and handling. Not Bridgestone, though.

The Blizzak DM-V2 impresses on dry roads, especially for a winter tire. It provides the driver with secure and stable handling, good traction for acceleration, and the shortest braking distances in the category.

Now, sure, it won’t replace a summer tire on dry roads, and not even an all-season one. You can mostly feel that in the way this tire drives – it’s not the most responsive one in the world. On that thought, most winter tires fare even worse in steering feel and precision.

Ultimately, in the confines of the winter tire category, the Blizzak DM-V2 is the new champion in terms of dry performance.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

The Blizzak DM-V2 doesn’t stop to impress when you encounter rainy conditions. Bridgestone did a great job of reducing hydroplaning, which elevates the driving experience to a whole new level.

In the corners, the tire feels planted, almost like it’s glued to the road. There is no hint of understeer or oversteer, which makes the whole driving experience much safer.

Furthermore, the tire has excellent traction for acceleration. While some winter tires may lose traction on more powerful SUVs and crossovers, the Blizzak DM-V2 won’t. Ultimately, the stopping distances on wet pavement are among the shortest in the category.

With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?

In a word, exceptional. The tire offers outstanding traction on ice, on par with the best premium tires in the category. Because of that, you can easily accelerate on ice and expect shorter braking distances. Handling on ice also feels much more natural than you’d expect. I was surprised by the amount of grip and how the tire gave me self-confidence.

The Blizzak DM-V2 continues to impress on snow. Here, it has the shortest braking distances out of any tire in the category, including the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2. The Bridgestone also provides the driver with outstanding traction on snow, which helps when accelerating out of a corner.

Ultimately, the Blizzak DM-V2 is very easy to drive on snow. The tire feels natural in the corners, almost like you’re driving on a wet course, not a snowy one. Moreover, there is not much understeer to report – your car will feel balanced.

Overall, the Bridgestone tire is the best snow performer among all studless winter tires. It accelerates without an issue, brakes strongly, and handles safely. On top of that, the tire had outstanding ice traction, braking, and handling, which further cement its position as one of the best tires in the category for the winter.

Bridgestone Blizzak Dm-V2 Review

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

The aggressive tread pattern of the Blizzak DM-V2 will definitely give you more traction in mud when compared to all-season tires. Also, you should expect slightly better traction on hardpacked surfaces.

However, the tread compound of winter tires is softer than all-season tires. Because of that, sharp objects can easily cut through the rubber, increasing the chance of punctures.

Sharp objects can also chip the rubber and shorten the lifespan of your tire. For that reason, I don’t recommend using the Blizzak DM-V2 off-road that much often.

Is it comfortable and refined?

In terms of comfort, the Blizzak DM-V2 doesn’t feel like a traditional winter tire. The ride quality is excellent, even on some choppy roads. Moreover, the tire is very quiet, even at higher speeds. Truth to be told, it produces slightly more road noise than the Michelin X-Ice Xi2, but it’s still very close behind.

Overall, I think that every SUV and crossover owner will be completely satisfied with the comfort levels. The Blizzak DM-V2 is truly a premium tire.

You can see more Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Review here: Video created by HILLYARD’S RIM LIONS

Bridgestone Blizzak DM V2 Review – Should I buy?

If you read the whole review, you probably noticed that we used many superlatives. That’s because the Blizzak DM-V2 is truly an exceptional winter tire, which will absolutely satisfy the needs of every SUV and crossover driver.

There is simply no surface where the tire behaves poorly. On snow and ice, it closely competes with the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 for the top honors in the category. And, in terms of how it feels, I think it’s even better. Furthermore, the tire impresses on dry and wet pavement, while also being quiet and comfortable.

And, while I would’ve liked to see a treadwear warranty, the fact is that this is one of the best buys in the category. I highly recommend this tire to crossover and SUV drivers that seek a premium driving experience in the winter.

New Year Sale @Priority Tire!
Valid through January 13, 2023
Available at PriorityTire.com

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