Comparison: Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005 vs. Vredestein Wintrac (2026)

Wet weather is where the gap between these two tyres opens up most starkly, and it firmly favours the Blizzak LM-005. Its wet-braking score of 94.6 is exceptional; the Wintrac's 84.2 is adequate but clearly in a different tier. In the one shared test with published braking figures — Autobild's 50-tyre winter comparison — the Blizzak stopped from 80 km/h in 32.1m on wet and 28.1m on snow, against the Wintrac's 33.5m and 30.3m. The aquaplaning difference is even more telling: 84.9 for the Blizzak against just 71.7 for the Wintrac, a gap that matters on a rain-soaked motorway. Bridgestone themselves highlight the LM-005's wet braking as class-leading, and the test evidence backs that claim. The Wintrac is not a dangerous wet-weather tyre — ADAC acknowledged reasonable wet-road behaviour — but it carries documented weaknesses in wet handling, and its aquaplaning reserves fall short of what the Blizzak consistently delivers.

Dry road performance is the one area where the Wintrac holds a genuine numerical edge. Its dry-braking score of 90 comfortably exceeds the Blizzak's 81.2, and extended dry stopping distances are a consistently documented weakness of the LM-005 — multiple test programmes flagged this explicitly. The Wintrac's dry steering reaction is also among its better attributes, with a 91.5 score, and overall dry handling sits at 86.2. The Blizzak is by no means dangerous in the dry — its overall dry score of 82.4 remains respectable — but drivers who frequently mix winter and dry spring or autumn roads will notice the Wintrac's greater confidence under hard braking on tarmac.

On snow, neither tyre is a standout, but the Blizzak LM-005 holds the advantage. Its snow score of 77.6 against the Wintrac's 72.8 reflects the pattern seen in test results: the Blizzak is quicker and more agile on snow, with good acceleration and generally competent handling, though testers noted a tendency toward understeer and only moderate lateral grip in deeper snow. The Wintrac's snow performance has attracted criticism across multiple ADAC tests — snow handling is a noted weak point — though interestingly, ADAC found strong ice-braking performance from the Wintrac (86.7 ice-braking score), suggesting it handles urban frozen roads better than its snow scores imply. Real-world owners of the Wintrac report good confidence on icy, ungritted roads, which aligns with that ice data.

The Wintrac is the more pleasant daily companion. Its comfort score of 84.1 and interior noise score of 84.5 both exceed the Blizzak's 80.6 and 82.9 respectively, and Vredestein owners consistently mention quiet, refined operation as a highlight — three out of ten reviewers specifically praised low noise, and real-world feedback describes a relaxed motorway feel. Mileage is also modestly better on the Wintrac (67.3 vs 63.5), and its rolling resistance is competitive. The Blizzak's mileage score of 63.5 is one of its weaker numbers, and ADAC flagged higher wear as a concern. For drivers who cover high annual distances on winter tyres and value a hushed cabin, the Wintrac's everyday usability is a genuine differentiator.