BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 vs Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
- TR Score
- 8.3/10
- Owners say
- 89% · 30
- TR Score
- 8.9/10
- Owners say
- 73% · 115
In the 17 independent tests that ran both tires, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 finished ahead 14 times and the gForce Winter 2 3 times. The gForce Winter 2 lasted 9.5% longer in the wear tests; the Blizzak LM005 stopped 10% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 for wet-dominant, variable winters and confident, sporty road manners. Choose BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 for snow-heavy regions, quieter rides, longer tread life and stronger overall value.
Where the gForce Winter 2 is stronger
- Excellent snow performance (braking/traction/handling wins in most tests)
- Lower noise and higher comfort
- Superior wear and abrasion (often 10-30% advantage)
Where the Blizzak LM005 is stronger
- Class-leading wet braking and wet handling (wins in 13/13 wet braking comparisons)
- Consistently better dry handling and short dry stops
- Lower rolling resistance in most tests
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
gForce Winter 2 vs Blizzak LM005 at a glance
| Category | gForce Winter 2 | Gap | Blizzak LM005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won17 shared tests | 3 | 14 | |
| Dry15 measurements | 1 | The Blizzak LM005 stopped 1.4% shorter in the dry (8 tests) | 14 |
| Wet39 measurements | 5 | The Blizzak LM005 stopped 10% shorter in the wet (13 tests) | 34 |
| Snow30 measurements | 23 | The gForce Winter 2 stopped 1.8% shorter on snow (13 tests) | 5 |
| Ice1 measurement | 0 | Level between the two. | 0 |
| Comfort8 measurements | 7 | The gForce Winter 2 was 0.8 dB quieter (8 tests) | 1 |
| Value15 measurements | 7 | Level between the two. | 7 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.3/10 | The Blizzak LM005 by 0.6 | 8.9/10 |
| Owner rating30 and 115 reviews | 89% | The gForce Winter 2 by 16 points | 73% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 100% | The gForce Winter 2 by 44 points | 56% |
| Pricein the 6 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Blizzak LM005 was dearer in 5 of 6 | +6.7% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 75 | 69 sizes made in both | 165 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 17 tests, 2019 to 2023
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 | gForce Winter 2 | Field | Blizzak LM005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P4 of 20 | P10 of 20 | |
| 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tire Test | P8 of 16 | P6 of 16 | |
| 2023 Winter Tire Test 54 Set Braking Test | P5 of 54 | P1 of 54 | |
| 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P9 of 20 | P6 of 20 | |
| 2022 Winter Tire Market Overview | P6 of 56 | P1 of 56 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P5 of 15 | P7 of 15 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tire Test | P8 of 13 | P4 of 13 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P11 of 20 | P5 of 20 | |
| 2021 AMS Winter Tire Test | P4 of 10 | P1 of 10 | |
| 2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter Tire Test | P5 of 16 | P7 of 16 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P7 of 50 | P1 of 50 | |
| The Best Winter Tires for 2020 | P4 of 19 | P1 of 19 | |
| 2020 ACE Winter Tire Test | P2 of 9 | P1 of 9 | |
| 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tire Test | P4 of 20 | P2 of 20 | |
| 2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test | P7 of 51 | P1 of 51 | |
| 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tire Test | P7 of 20 | P5 of 20 | |
| 2019 Winter Tire Test Market Overview | P7 of 53 | P1 of 53 |
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 17 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
gForce Winter 2
Blizzak LM005
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. 4 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
gForce Winter 2
Blizzak LM005
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
gForce Winter 2
Blizzak LM005
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | gForce Winter 2 | Gap | Blizzak LM005 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 1.4% | 146 | 1-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 68.4 | 1.5% | 69.4 | 0-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 139 | 10% | 125 | 0-13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 135 | 11.2% | 119 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 45.2 | 3.3% | 46.6 | 0-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.85 | 3.8% | 12.36 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 53.4 | 1.7% | 52.5 | 5-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 9.9 | 6% | 10.5 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 85 | 1.8% | 86 | 9-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 465 | 1.7% | 457 | 5-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 36.3 | 2.4% | 35.5 | 6-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12 | 5.5% | 11.4 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 69 | = | 69 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 70.98 | 0.8 dB | 71.76 | 7-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 24,227 | 9.5% | 22,197 | 5-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.79 | 8.4% | 8.04 | 1-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.7 | = | 5.7 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 56 | 32.5% | 83 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gForce Winter 2 scores 8.3 and the Blizzak LM005 8.9 out of 10.
| gForce Winter 2 | Category | Blizzak LM005 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Dry | 79 | ||
| 78 | Wet | 99 | ||
| 62 | Comfort | 64 | ||
| 49 | Value | 43 | ||
| 92 | Snow | 66 | ||
| 15 | Ice | 13 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| gForce Winter 2 | Category | Blizzak LM005 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Dry Grip | 7.8 | ||
| 9 | Wet Grip | 8.4 | ||
| 7.9 | Road Feedback | 7.5 | ||
| 8.5 | Handling | 7.3 | ||
| 8.7 | Wear | 5.9 | ||
| 9.2 | Comfort | 7.5 | ||
| 9.5 | Snow Grip | 7.4 | ||
| 8.8 | Ice Grip | 6.3 | ||
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
- 89%from 30 reviews
- 100%would buy again
- 215,300 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally rate the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 very highly, with repeated praise for confident traction on snow and ice and strong wet-weather performance with good aquaplaning resistance. Many also highlight excellent value for money, stable behavior in harsh winter conditions, and generally good comfort/quietness for a winter tire. A smaller set of reviews note compromises on dry roads, describing softer handling, reduced steering/on-center response, and occasional higher noise depending on speed and surface.
- Excellent snow traction
- Strong ice grip for a studless winter tire
- Very good wet grip and aquaplaning resistance
- Great price-to-performance/value
- Dry grip/handling is only average (softer feel, more roll than summer tires)
- Reduced steering feedback/on-center response compared with other tires
- Some report increased noise on certain surfaces/speeds (wet roads or above ~90 km/h)
Summarised by AI from 24 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 30 gForce Winter 2 reviewsI'm using on a Dacia Duster. Before, for winter, on this car I had Michelin Latitude Alpin 1 and Kleber Krisalp HP3 (same as Bf Goodrich). The snow grip was very good for 4 winters (same as Kleber), never let me down. The wet grip was also very good. But what surprised me a lot, was the emergency braking, that was very very good, on wet and dry. The only minus, was that I need to make some corrections on the directions compared with a summer touring tire (michelin primacy 3 or hankook), but the care never lost control with those tires, even if I drove too fast for it. In conclusion I will buy again (bf goodrich or kleber, in function of price).
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
- 73%from 115 reviews
- 56%would buy again
- 1,170,613 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners most consistently praise the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 for strong wet-road performance, with around half highlighting secure wet grip and only a handful disagreeing. Dry grip is also commonly rated better than expected for a winter tire, while opinion on snow traction is far more mixed, splitting owners almost evenly depending on conditions and expectations. The biggest drawback is durability: around two in five owners report fast wear (often with performance dropping as the tire ages), and roughly three in ten mention noticeable road noise, with a smaller group also finding it weak on ice.
- Very strong wet grip and confidence in heavy rain
- Impressive dry grip for a winter tire
- Comfortable, compliant ride
- Secure and predictable wet handling
- Fast tread wear and short overall life
- Grip drops off noticeably as the tire wears
- Uneven/abnormal wear reported by some owners
Summarised by AI from 102 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 115 Blizzak LM005 reviewsOverall very good tires for snow. I have a heavy vehicle with big tires (20 inch on sedan). Very good snow and ice grip. However they are quite noisy in the cabin despite BMW insulation.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 75 sizes of the gForce Winter 2 and 165 of the Blizzak LM005, 69 of them made in both.
| Category | gForce Winter 2 | Blizzak LM005 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 75 sizes, 14 to 20 inch | 165 sizes, 14 to 22 inch |
| Made in both | 69 sizes 155/65 R14165/65 R14165/70 R14175/65 R14175/70 R14185/60 R14185/65 R14165/60 R15165/65 R15175/65 R15185/55 R15185/60 R15and 57 more | |
| EU label wet grip | B90%C10% | A88%B12% |
| EU label rolling resistance | D50%C48%B3% | C80%B19%D1% |
| EU label noise | 68-71 dB A80%B20% | 70-75 dB B99%A1% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 115 of 115 | 360 of 360 |
| On the market since | 2016 | 2019 |
| Replaced | - | Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO (2017) |
| Replaced by | - | Bridgestone Blizzak 6 |
| Awards | - | Commended: Best Winter SUV Tires (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2023) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2022) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2021) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Blizzak LM005 was the dearer tire in 5 of the 6 tests that listed prices, by 6.7% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
This head-to-head pitches two popular premium-touring winter tires with distinct characters: BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2, a snow-biased, value-strong option, versus Bridgestone Blizzak LM005, the segment's wet-grip benchmark. Across 17 shared tests, the LM005 secured 14 overall wins, driven by dominant wet and consistently strong dry performance, while the BFGoodrich earned 3 wins with standout snow ability, low noise and longevity.
Conclusion
If your winter mostly means cold, rain and slush with frequent wet roads, the Blizzak LM005 is the safer, sharper choice-its wet braking advantage is routinely around 8-12% and it steers more precisely in the dry. If your winters bring regular snow and you value quiet running, long life and lower cost of ownership, the gForce Winter 2 delivers excellent traction and handling on snow, lower noise and markedly better wear and abrasion results. The BFGoodrich also tends to be better value at purchase and over time.
gForce Winter 2 vs Blizzak LM005: your questions
Is the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 or the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 the better tire?
In the 17 independent tests that ran both tires, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 finished ahead 14 times and the gForce Winter 2 3 times. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gForce Winter 2 scores 8.3 and the Blizzak LM005 8.9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the gForce Winter 2 or the Blizzak LM005?
The Blizzak LM005 led 34 of the 39 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 10% shorter in the wet across 13 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Blizzak LM005 led 14 of the 15 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.4% shorter in the dry across 8 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The gForce Winter 2 led 23 of the 30 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.8% shorter on snow across 13 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The gForce Winter 2 lasted 9.5% longer in the wear tests (6 tests); the Blizzak LM005 had 8.4% lower rolling resistance (7 tests). Owners rate wear 8.7/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 5.9/10 for the Blizzak LM005.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The gForce Winter 2 was 0.8 dB quieter (8 tests). Owners rate comfort 9.2/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 7.5/10 for the Blizzak LM005.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115. 100% of gForce Winter 2 owners would buy it again, against 56% for the Blizzak LM005.
Which is more expensive?
In the 6 tests that listed prices, the Blizzak LM005 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 6.7% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The gForce Winter 2 is made in 75 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the Blizzak LM005 in 165 (14 to 22 inch). 69 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the gForce Winter 2 is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Blizzak LM005 A and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Blizzak LM005 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2019, the gForce Winter 2 in 2016. The Blizzak LM005 replaced the Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO.
More comparisons with these tires
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Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
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Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Hankook Winter i cept evo3
8-5 in 14 shared tests
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Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
5-10 in 16 shared tests
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Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
5-4 in 9 shared tests
vs 
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
8-10 in 18 shared tests
vs 
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 vs Kleber Krisalp HP3
13-5 in 20 shared tests
vs 
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Michelin Alpin 6
15-9 in 24 shared tests
vs
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 vs Hankook Winter i cept evo3
5-3 in 8 shared tests
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.
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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