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Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Hankook Winter I cept RS3

The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 and the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 have met in 6 independent tests and the record is level at 3-3. The Blizzak LM005 was stronger in dry and wet, the Winter I cept RS3 in snow and ice.

Performance profile

17 measurements from the 6 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.

Dry BrakingDry Handling (s)Wet BrakingWet Braking - ConcreteWet Handling (s)Wet CircleStraight AquaCurved AquaplaningSnow BrakingSnow Traction (lbf)Snow HandlingIce BrakingNoiseWearRolling ResistanceFuel ConsumptionAbrasion

Where each is furthest ahead

Blizzak LM005

Winter I cept RS3

Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.

In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 10 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.

Every measurement, side by side

Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.

Measurement Blizzak LM005 Gap Winter I cept RS3 Wins
Dry Blizzak LM005 ahead
Dry Braking ft 142 1% 144 5-1
Dry Handling (s) 76.8 0.2% 76.65 1-1
Dry Handling (mph) 76.7 0.4% 76.4 1-0
Subj. Dry Handling pts scored 5.9% scored 1-0
Wet Blizzak LM005 ahead
Wet Braking ft 127 4.5% 134 5-1
Wet Braking - Concrete ft 120 7.1% 129 2-0
Wet Handling (s) 91.75 2% 93.65 2-0
Wet Handling (mph) 45.2 1% 44.7 1-0
Subj. Wet Handling pts scored 17.6% scored 1-0
Wet Circle s 12.1 3.4% 12.53 2-0
Straight Aqua mph 51.4 2.1% 52.4 2-4
Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² 14.1 5.9% 13.3 5-0
Snow Winter I cept RS3 ahead
Snow Braking ft 58 0.6% 59 2-2
Snow Traction s 5.1 3.9% 4.9 0-1
Snow Traction (lbf) 408 0.1% 403 4-1
Snow Handling s 91.35 1.3% 89.95 0-2
Snow Handling (mph) 33.1 2.3% 33.8 0-1
Subj. Snow Handling pts scored 11.1% scored 0-1
Snow Circle ft/s² 15.1 0.7% 15 1-0
Snow Slalom ft/s² 12.1 2.4% 12.4 0-1
Ice Winter I cept RS3 ahead
Ice Braking ft 71 4.6% 68 0-2
Comfort Level
Subj. Comfort pts scored 11.1% scored 1-0
Noise dB 72.05 0.4 dB 71.67 2-3
Value Level
Wear miles 19,373 14.5% 22,150 1-3
Rolling Resistance kg / t 7.97 7.9% 8.66 3-0
Fuel Consumption l/100km 5.63 1.7% 5.73 2-0
Abrasion mg/km/t 99.5 20.3% 79.03 0-3

Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.

Head to head in 6 tests, 2022 to 2026

Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.

Test Blizzak LM005 Field Winter I cept RS3
2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 ADAC · 2026 · 185/65 R15 · Skoda Fabia P8 of 16 P3 of 16
2024 All Season and Winter Tire Test Auto Zeitung · 2024 · 215/55 R17 P1 of 10 P5 of 10
2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tire Test ADAC · 2023 · 205/60 R16 P6 of 16 P5 of 16
2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tire Test ADAC · 2023 · 225/45 R17 P15 of 15 P7 of 15
2022 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test Auto Bild · 2022 · 215/55 R17 P6 of 20 P7 of 20
2022/23 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test Tire Reviews · 2022 · 225/45 R17 Tire Reviews test P1 of 9 P3 of 9

Blizzak LM005 vs Winter I cept RS3: your questions

Is the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 or the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 the better tire?

The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 and the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 have met in 6 independent tests and the record is level at 3-3. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Blizzak LM005 scores 8.9 and the Winter I cept RS3 8.8 out of 10.

Which is better in the wet, the Blizzak LM005 or the Winter I cept RS3?

The Blizzak LM005 led 20 of the 25 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.5% shorter in the wet across 6 tests.

Which is better in the dry?

The Blizzak LM005 led 8 of the 10 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1% shorter in the dry across 6 tests.

Which is better in snow?

The Winter I cept RS3 led 9 of the 18 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it lapped the snow handling course 1.3% faster across 2 tests.

Which lasts longer and costs less to run?

The Blizzak LM005 had 7.9% lower rolling resistance (3 tests) and used 1.7% less fuel (3 tests); the Winter I cept RS3 lasted 14.5% longer in the wear tests (4 tests) and shed 20.3% less rubber in the abrasion test (3 tests). Owners rate wear 5.9/10 for the Blizzak LM005 and 7.6/10 for the Winter I cept RS3.

Which is quieter and more comfortable?

Owners rate comfort 7.5/10 for the Blizzak LM005 and 6.7/10 for the Winter I cept RS3.

What do owners say?

Owners rate the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115 reviews and the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28. 56% of Blizzak LM005 owners would buy it again, against 74% for the Winter I cept RS3.

Which is more expensive?

In the 5 tests that listed prices, the Blizzak LM005 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 18.3% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.

Are they available in the same sizes?

The Blizzak LM005 is made in 165 sizes (14 to 22 inch) and the Winter I cept RS3 in 46 (14 to 17 inch). 38 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Blizzak LM005 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter I cept RS3 B and C.

Run either of these?

Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.

Review the Blizzak LM005 Review the Winter I cept RS3

Where this data comes from

Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.

About the TR Score

The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.

Who does the testing

Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.

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