Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25

Although it doesn't get much attention in high-profile European tire tests, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 has long been a favorite snow tire among North American reviewers. Experts and consumers agree that the Blizzak LM-25 has no real weak points, offering tried-and-true traction on all winter road surfaces. However, the LM-25 is a performance winter tire. Critics say it isn't designed to handle a harsh winter as well as a top severe winter tire, such as the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 (*Est. $90). Some performance winter tires outperform the Blizzak LM-25 in certain tests; for example, the top-ranked Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 (*Est. $80) is a bit better at braking on wet roads, and the Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 (*Est. $90) grips a little better in the snow.

Consumer Reports' unbiased tests show clearly how the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 stacks up against other performance winter tires, but you must be a subscriber to read the report. Germany's version of AAA, the ADAC, also conducts thorough comparison tests of winter tires, but the article is available only in German. The Canadian Automobile Protection Association offers unbiased reviews of many winter tires, but its ratings are limited to an overall score of one to five stars for each tire. A review at Automobile Magazine mentions the Blizzak LM-25 only briefly, but it is valuable because the expert reviewer's impressions are based on his own personal experience with the tire. We found extensive consumer reviews and ratings for the Blizzak LM-25 at TireRack.com, a retail site.