Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 Vs. Sumitomo Ice Edge
Fun Fact: Did you know that over 70 percent of the population in the United States resides in regions that see snow each year. And about 17 percent of the cars face road accidents due to harsh winters.
Suffice it to say, snowfall and driving don’t make for an ideal combination.
Do you live in a city where snowfall isn’t rare? Does a barrage of snow scupper your plans of going out?Do you fear driving on a snowy, slippery road?
The solution is straightforward; invest in suitable tires that are made to withstand the conditions mentioned earlier.
A good set of tires is essential if you drive in snowy conditions. They provide safety by maintaining a strong road grip and stable handling; additionally, with purpose-built tires, you can expect a quiet and smooth ride.
What set of tires should you go for? We recommend you to go for winter tires.
The problem with going winter tire shopping is the ridiculous abundance of options to go through. This is both a curse and a blessing. On the one hand,we have varieties to suit every consumer; on the other hand, new shoppers are easily overwhelmed.
So, to help you make your choice, we’ve compared two of the finest winter tires on the market – Blizzak WS80 vs. Sumitomo Ice Edge – that are known for their capacity for elemental distress.
Let’s dive into both options to see which one performs better.
Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
Famous for creating some of the best quality tires since 1931, Bridgestone is a known Japanese tire manufacturing company.
The Blizzak series of Bridgestone has made a significant impression among winter tires. Their latest WS80 version is the popular choice among most drivers.This studless winter tire is meant for minivans, coupes, and sedans.
Product Information
With Blizzak WS80, you can make your ride smooth, comfortable, and secure without much trouble, even during harsh winters.
This tire is purely designed from a unique compound known as NanoPro-Tech. This technology gives it an edge over its competitors, allowing for it to maintain higher flexibility and uniformity as compared to other tires.
Its remarkable tread patterns make way for water to drain out as it rotates; this way, the WS80 remains completely dry even underwater.
The solid traction is equally effective on wet roads and snowy tracks. Said traction also ensures that the user will not be facing any hydroplaning issues, dis-balancing, or irregular ground contact.
The WS80 boastssmaller tread blocks and a lug-design, making way for mud and all other kinds of gunk.This latest version from Blizzak also enjoys 20 percent more biting edges, allowing you todrive over heavy snow carpeting.
Furthermore, the tire also features 3D zig-zag sipes that ensure it doesn’t bend much from the inside. And it is durable enough to last several years.
The 3PMFS mark dictates that these tires were built for snowy conditions, the excellent handling proves that. The cornering, steering control, and brake distance seem flawless.
Pros
- Effective handling and grip
- Wet and snowy traction is above par
- Durable and low treadwear
Cons
- Low-performance on dry tracks
Sumitomo Ice Edge
Sumitomo is a Japanese manufacturing company producing and exporting some of the highest-quality tires worldwide for over 100 years now.
Their latest version, Ice Edge, is fast becoming very popular with car enthusiasts, especially those who drive in tough winter conditions. You can mount this tire onan SUV and several other passenger vehicles.
Product Information
With Ice Edge Sumitomo tires, driving in harsh winter conditions has never been easier. It provides a stable and safe riding experience.
This stud-able tire is developed with a unique tread compound that provides nothing less than a superior winter performance – no matter how low the temperature drops.
The Ice edge is created with Sumitomo’s advanced technology: 3D sipes. This ensures optimal performance on ice, snow, and other winter-related road conditions. On harsh winter surfaces, this technology provides an unparalleled bite between the road and the tire.
Not only does it provide an extraordinary winter grip and excellent stability, but it also ensures precise handling- cornering, braking, and calm driving comfort.This tire’s tread design offers a smooth-running, quiet drive for an improved on-road experience.
Sumitomo Ice Edge is specifically designed to meet the requirements of riders driving through tough winter terrains, as it is approved with the 3PMSF mark.
It is one of the most economical winter tires you will ever find on the entire tire market.
Pros
- Strong hydroplaning resistance
- Good road grip
- Stable handling
- High snow traction
Cons
- Slightly poor performance on dry roads
Differences Between The Two Tires
Both Ice Edge and Blizzak WS80 tires provide strong and credible snow traction and high-performance.We’ve conducted multiple tests under various conditions and found both tires equally up to the task.
Here’s a quick round-up of the key differences between them:
The Blizzak WS80 tire performed extremely well and maybeeven slightly better than the Ice Edge at acceleration. We mounted these tires on similar cars and found that the WS80 achieved the targeted endpoint some 19 seconds quicker.
Furthermore, the two tires have strong braking distance quality. When we hit the brakes at an approximate speed of 13 m/h, we discovered both vehicles stopped somewhere under the 30 feet threshold.
The WS80,compared to Ice Edge, has performed slightly better under severe snowy tracks. Also, we found that the WS80 was wearing off slower than Ice Edge.
Moreover, we particularly liked the fact that the Ice Edge tire created no noise compared to WS80, which we found to produce a minor sound.
Normally, the WS80 tire can cost you somewhere $89 to $169. In comparison, Ice Edge is one of the most economical winter tire options and can cost you $79 to $150.
Comparison Chart
| Comparison | ||
| Aspect | Blizzak WS80 | Ice Edge |
| Diameter | 24.9″ | 23.9″ |
| Width | 8.4″ | 7.0″ |
| Rim Size | 16″ | 16” |
| Weight | 21 Lbs. | 30.8 Lbs. |
| Revolutions Per Mile | 837 | 886 |
| Tread Depth | 11/32″ | 12” |
| Rim Width | 5.5-7.5″ | 6.0″ |
What We Like/What We Didn’t
- Both Ice Edge and WS80 tires are marked with a 3PMSF sign.
- Both offer strong braking distance.
- Although both tires have high performance under difficult winter conditions, we found the WS80 traction a little better.
- We liked that the Ice Edge tire provides an incredible winter performance at such an affordable price.
- Though both provide quiet and smooth riding experience, we liked the Ice Edge for its little to no noise.
Conclusion
If you’re living somewhere where snow and harsh winter comes often, it’s a good time to invest in a set of winter tires. You can’t go wrong with one of these two options.
Though both offered excellent snow and wet traction performance, we recommend the WS80 for its enhanced snowy performance and effective braking distance quality.
However, you can go for Ice Edge if you want a budget-friendly winter tire with exceptional winter traction.