Full review

This is a review of the Blizzak DM-V2 from Bridgestone. The review will guide you in making choices whether or not this tire is good option for your needs.

Don’t have time to read everything? Here’s a quick summary of our review as well as pros & cons listed.

Next we will take a closer look at the specifications of this tire, the cars it is built for, conditions where it’s designed for, and performance. You also get to know the price relative to other similar prices and our overall evaluation on if this tire is a good option or not.

Keep reading as we unveil more details about this tire. 

Overview

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 was built as a successor to the former Blizzak DM-V1 to cover the DM-V1 inefficiencies in freezing rain and icy conditions. To accomplish this, V2 features more aggressive snow bite edges. 

While the V1 was not a bad tire in any means, the V2 is a better option; this tire stands as number one among tires in its class because of its winter performance.

The tire is built specifically to provide excellent snow and ice traction for drivers who frequently commute in winter. It can also be driven in dry and wet conditions, but it’s not a good option if you don’t drive in snow.

The Blizzak DM-V2 is designed to fit pickup, crossover, and sport utility vehicles. Even with the fantastic performance this tire has, it is still a relatively affordable option.

Performance

Wet

The Blizzak DM-V2 has acceptable performance on wet roads. Most reviewers noted they experienced adequate traction on damp roads. However, the tires are resistant to hydroplanes and excelled through standing water even at highway speeds.  In contrast, few users stated that they had a total loss of grip, causing their vehicles to slide.

On slush roads, many owners could sail through without getting stuck or sliding. Owners also confirmed that the Blizzaks have good traction on semi-gravel, mushy, and dirt roads.

Dry

The Bizzak is not a summer tire but it still performs well on dry pavements. While few users noted that they experienced slides and the tires were less stable on dry roads, others were very pleased with dry grip and traction. So where do the conflicting reviews come from? 

A simple answer may be buying an undersized tire. In some cases, it could be the speed at which one is driving; after all, it is a snow tire. Like one reviewer stated, he saw many goods and a few bad reviews about the tire’s traction on dry pavement, but on his own tests, had an okay dry traction.

Based on this we can conclude that the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is not the best tyre for dry roads. However, it was not designed to be that either – as a winter tire designed for snow conditions, we can’t expect it to have the best dry-weather performance.

Snow

If there was one thing that made users buy this tire, it is the snow performance. It is safe, and driving with winter tires was even made compulsory in Canada and Europe. The tires are better than a regular all-terrain tire earned a snowflake symbol – thanks to the soft rubber compound and a considerable amount of siping. 

The wide lateral and circumferential grooves also help improve traction as they help disperse water, slush, and ice from the contact area. Confirmed by users, they had incredible traction in all types of snow and ice using just a 2WD. This is true because some reviewers who regretted not getting a 4WD vehicle had this tire come to their rescue on their 2WD. 

How about an AWD/4WD? Their combination with these tires was outstanding. The tires hug the road so well that even when other road users got stuck or slid, they moved past easily. This is possible because of the multi-cell compound that helps channel water away from thick snow and the sharp particles that help enhance snow grip even on glaring ice.  

Traction is also aided by the 3D zigzag sipes that help boost the total of snow-biting edges. The V2 can go through as much as 10-inch plows of snow. Straight-line traction was amazing as most didn’t detect noticeable wheel spin. 

However, few reviewers noted that while the tires do inspire confidence, they are not flawless. Hence, to maintain traction, they reduced vehicle speed and engaged in 4WD.  On the other hand, very few users say they only experience excellent snow traction on powder snow. But on deep snow, the previous Blizzak DM-V1 was better. And on ice, one might need to navigate slowly to gain traction. 

Again, this could be buying a tire that does not match the vehicle’s weight. Concluding with Tirerack’s tests, the Michelin has better acceleration with traction control both in snow and ice; though not too far from that of the DM-V2.

Braking distance

In wet and dry conditions, the braking distance was reasonable, but not like in snow or ice.  Nevertheless,  according to Tirerack’s tests, the Yokohama IceGUARD iG51v had a better dry braking distance. 

However, the DM-VM2 took the lead in wet braking, better than the Michelin Latitude X-ice Xi2 and the Yokohama IceGUARD iG51v.

Moreover, on snow or ice, many users were very pleased with the V2 braking. Even when the brakes were applied suddenly, the tires still stopped in a reasonable time, holding on so well to the road. Thanks to the bite particles that help in grip and improve braking, even in glare ice.  

But according to Tirerack’s tests, while the VM2 excels more in snow braking, the Michelin excels in ice braking. In addition, other reviewers complained about the poor braking behavior of this tire. The tires didn’t respond to the brake on time. Hence, causing the tires to slide and taking her out of the lane in icy conditions. 

One user even said the sliding made her so nervous that she stopped using these tires in the snow. The question would be, at what speed was she driving before the brake? Is the tire’s size able to wedge the vehicle’s weight? Test results imply this tire is one of the best in snow, so we can’t conclude if this user had just driven too fast in too slippery conditions, or was there really something related to the tire that played a part in sliding.

Handling

Feel

According to tests, with Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 the car would accelerate on dry and wet roads well yet keep the car balanced. Many users revealed they felt confident and safe going through ice or snow, and even taking out the fear of driving in bad conditions. 

The tires were in steady contact with the road keeping the car balanced even at high speeds. Reviewers stated that even on dry roads, the tires provided a stable ride. The steering response is quick. That as you hit the brakes, you could feel the tires grabbing ice for swift passage and also bring cars to a stop both in a straight direction. 

Others noted that tires slightly oversteer sometimes when changing lanes, especially above 75mph. And that the steering takes some seconds to respond; when it finally does, they experience slight oversteer. 

According to reviewers, another problem that many of them might face is overconfidence. What this means is that these tires are so good that they make someone overconfident. It may lead you to unknowingly find yourself driving too fast or far above speed limit.

Sharpness

Most Blizzak reviews stated that the tires had excellent cornering force on snow or ice, but seem to lose traction a bit – especially when taking turns at high speeds. 

This can reduce highway confidence a bit; these owners, however, admitted that the reason could be buying a much smaller rim. 

The not too wide tread also causes some level of imbalance. In addition, according to Tirerack’s tests, the Michelin Latitude X Ice Xi2 is way better on what comes to handling.

Noise and comfort

Most Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 reviews noted that it is a quiet tire. Even at high speed, they still maintain a level of quietness, but not as quiet as the Michelin Latitude X-ice Xi2. The V2 was also noted for becoming noisy when the tread is worn out. 

But then, a few reviews pointed out that the tires have a low noise level while others said it was totally noisy.

Reviewers stated that the ride quality is excellent. Since the tires maintain contact with the road and ensure the vehicle is balanced, the ride becomes very comfortable. Few also noted that the slightly narrow tires provide more stability in deep snow. Tirerack’s tests confirmed it as the V2 had better ride quality than Michelin and Yokohama. 

However, few users had an uncomfortable ride driving around 65mph. If they choose to go anything near 75mp, the result will be a bald tire, which is disappointing.

Durability

The Blizzak tires do not come with a treadwear warranty, something most owners find unappealing. 

Reviewers stated that the tires had poor tread life as they could barely get to 15,000 miles, and if they managed to reach 15k miles, the tires do not provide traction, whether wet or dry. 

However, the short tread life is a result of the soft compound used to make the tire. While soft compound enhances grip and traction, it cannot withstand road imbalances for long. 

Many users expected a short life span from the tires anyways. As usual, wears always starts from the rear tires.

Some reviewers talking about durability also noted the tire’s sidewalls quickly get damaged. And for that reason, it’s never a good idea to go off-road with it. 

So if you often use logging roads, gravel, or light off-road, the tire is definitely not the right choice for you.

Price

The Blizzak DM-V2 is an affordable budget tire, yet its performance is incredible. The tire starts at $140, with the largest size selling at $305. To many users, the tire is worth every dime. However, most buyers wished the lifespan could be longer. Great grip on this tire comes with the price of lifespan – something that the buyer has to take into account when selecting new tires.

Conclusions & our recommendation

The Blizzak DM-V2 is a great winter tire, which provides excellent snow and ice traction. In addition, it’s ability to stop the car on ice and snow is very good. In fact, some users said the tires excelled in every area beyond their expectations, both in dry road ride, handling, and minor road noise. 

According to our research, the majority of Blizzak DM-V2 users were also pleased with the price of the tire for its worth. Many users said they would buy this tire again.  

Moreover, Tirerack’s test results noted that even if Michelin and Yokohama excelled in some areas, the V2 is still the overall best winter tire. 

This is an example of a well-designed tire which also clearly performs well in real-life use. We recommend this tire for people who are searching for a well-performing tire to use in snow and ice, with a reasonable price point. Even though the tread life on Blizzak DM-V2 is not the best, it’s not luckily the most expensive tire to replace either.