Winter Driving
If you live in a region where the winters are cold and snowy, you know that driving on icy or snow-covered roads can be challenging, even harrowing if you’re not prepared. Many drivers think that all-wheel drive is the savior, and that their crossover SUV is sufficient for handling winter conditions, but if your tires lose grip, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got front, rear, or all-wheel drive – you’re going for a sleigh ride. The best way to avoid losing control on slick roads is to install a set of proper winter tires. The Bridgestone Blizzak is one of the most popular winter tires on the market, and for good reason – its performance on the snow and ice will make you wonder how you ever drove without them. Now, Bridgestone is introducing the all-new Blizzak IcePeak that takes winter performance up a notch.

A Look Back
Bridgestone introduced the first Blizzak winter tire in Japan in the late 1980s, in response to the country’s ban on studded tires. Blizzak tires came to the U.S. in 1992, and the company has continued to improve the tire’s winter performance with advancements in tread design and tire compounds. Bridgestone now offers Blizzak winter tires in a wide range of sizes for cars, trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles, and sports cars.

Not Just for Snow
Blizzaks are winter tires, not snow tires, as they are designed to provide maximum traction in cold weather, even when it isn’t snowing. They feature a specific tread design that disperses water while using biting edges to provide grip, even on black ice or packed snow. But their performance comes from more than just the unique tread – Blizzak tires are made with a specially designed compound that maintains flexibility and grip in temperatures below 40 degrees, providing better performance than a summer or all-season tire on cold pavement. However, winter tires aren’t meant for year-round use – they will wear quickly in warmer weather.

The Latest Blizzak Design
This year, Bridgestone is introducing the latest iteration of the Blizzak winter tire, the Blizzak IcePeak. “Our Blizzak tire lineup moves from strength to strength, continually raising the standard for impressive winter weather control,” said Ian McKenney, Senior Product Manager, Bridgestone Americas. “With the application of ENLITEN technology, we are able to expand the tires’ performance envelope in all directions while also delivering greater durability and reduced rolling resistance, while promoting a focus on enhanced sustainability.”

Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak
The all-new Blizzak IcePeak steps up from the previous Blizzak offerings with a range of improvements. The innovative tread design features new sipes for improved grip on the tire edge in deep snow, while protrusions on the leading edges of the tread blocks prevent water intrusion for better grip on ice. Microgrooves on the surface help remove the thin layer of water that forms between the tire and the icy surface, further improving overall grip.

Updated Compound
While the tread updates deliver significant improvements in snow and ice performance, the IcePeak’s enhanced compound, with Bridgestone’s patented ENLITEN technology, improves tire wear and offers 21 percent lower rolling resistance than the previous version, boosting fuel economy. At the same time, the IcePeak continues to use Bridgestone’s MultiCell technology for outstanding winter driving capability.

Double Certification
The all-new Blizzak IcePeak is the first Bridgestone tire to earn double certification – 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) and Ice Grip. To earn the 3PMSF certification, a tire must perform 12% better than the standard reference tire in a snow acceleration test, while the Ice Grip tires must stop at least 18% better than a standard reference tire on an ice braking test.

Bridgestone Winter Driving School
Bridgestone invited me to its winter driving school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where I had the opportunity to test out the new Blizzak IcePeak tire and compare it to the company’s current product. (Bridgestone covered my travel, meals, and lodging for this review.) The Bridgestone Winter Driving School simulates typical public roads, complete with sharp turns, steep climbs and descents, high-speed curves, and straight-line runs. The surface featured a mix of hard-packed snow and exposed ice, the latter quite slick. With Toyota as the school’s current vehicle partner, tires were tested on 4Runners and Camrys.

The Outgoing Blizzak DM-V2
The current Blizzak DM-V2 tires are being replaced by the new Blizzak IcePeak, but they still provide impressive winter performance. We started the day on the icy track with Toyota 4Runners riding on DM-V2 tires, and the outstanding grip was immediately noticeable as I headed onto the course. With just a little wheel slip at the start, the 4Runner hooked up and accelerated quickly. Braking is just as impressive, and it was possible to bring the speed down quickly, even without the anti-lock brakes assisting.

Corners are Challenging
Perhaps the trickiest aspect of driving on snow and ice is turning, especially when trying to slow down at the same time. Ideally, applying the brakes while still driving straight provides the best performance, and at the slower speed, the front wheels can still provide grip when turned. But on occasion, I would enter a corner too fast, causing the 4Runner to understeer. With some practice, the traction response became more predictable, and I was able to consistently control the 4Runner around a skid pad.

Testing the New Blizzak IcePeak
As good as the DM-V2 tires performed in the wintry conditions, the new IcePeak is even better. Testing the new tire on the Camry Hybrid AWD, I was amazed by the traction, which felt like driving on pavement. Both the old and new Blizzak tires offer excellent grip for acceleration and braking, but I found the new IcePeak stood out with its ability to hold a turn at higher speeds without sliding to the outside of the corner.

Overall Improvement
Putting the Camry with its Blizzak IcePeak tires through the full winter driving course was eye-opening. The tires performed brilliantly while negotiating the tight turns, slaloms, steep climbs, and hard braking zones. As I pushed the car faster, it did lose some grip, but it was gradual and predictable, making it easy to maintain control with no concerns. Winter driving with the new Blizzak IcePeak tires felt like cheating – it shouldn’t be so easy to drive in conditions that are normally very tricky.

Widely Available
The new Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak replaces the WS90 and DM-V2 and will be offered in 107 sizes, covering 97 percent of the light-duty models available in the U.S. Built for use on electric or internal-combustion-engined vehicles, the IcePeak will be available to order this spring. If you live in a part of the country that experiences a proper winter, the new Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak tires on your vehicle will change the way you think about driving in snow and ice. You’ll likely wonder how you ever drove without them.