If you haven’t noticed already, winter is definitely coming. And for that, you’ll need all the help you can get when traversing through snowy and icy roads that may become hazardous. As such, investing in the best winter tire should be a priority.
So, let’s have a Cooper Evolution Winter vs Bridgestone Blizzak tire comparison, so you’ll be more prepared for the coming winter season. Both tires are definitely some of the best out there. Let’s find out which option you should buy now.
| Tire | Cooper Evolution Winter | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 |
| Tire Type | Studdable Ice and Snow | Studless Ice and Snow |
| Tested Size | 215/55R16 | 215/55R16 |
| 3PMSF | Yes | Yes |
| Tread Depth | 12/32″ | 11/32″ |
| Max Load | 1,609 lbs | 1,609 lbs |
| Tire Weight | 22 lbs | 25 lbs |
| Section Width | 8.9″ | 8.9″ |
| Rim Range | 6-7.5″ | 6-7.5″ |
| Revs/Mile | 818 | 824 |
| Price | $143.99 | $162.99 |
Table of Contents
What are they?
Cooper Evolution Winter
The Cooper Evolution Winter is one of Cooper’s premier winter tires along with the Cooper Discoverer True North. However, the key difference between the two is that Discoverer True Norths are studless snow tires while Evolution Winters are studdable.
This essentially means that the Evolution Winter is built for maximum grip on icy surfaces. Amazingly enough, the tire also maneuvers significantly well on snow due to its sawtooth center rib, which enhances the tire’s contact patch.
While the Cooper Evolution Winter is clearly designed to combat ice, its snow capabilities are nothing to scoff at, either, since it also comes equipped with Cooper’s Snow Groove technology, which allows better water and slush ejection while on the move.
Moreover, it also features multi-angled corrugated siping, which drastically improves grip on any surface, from dry roads down to snow.
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is Bridgestone Blizzak’s latest iteration of studless snow tires. Since its first version, the WS70, the tire has seen continuous enhancements during its tenure as Bridgestone’s premier winter tire.
And, of course, it’s all thanks to Bridgestone’s plethora of proprietary technologies that give the tire an edge when it comes to traversing inclement weather like snow and ice.
For starters, it comes equipped with a directional tread pattern, rigid blocks, and interlocking sipes to significantly improve maneuverability and tread life.
Moreover, the tire is also made with Bridgestone’s Silica and Multi-Cell compound with bite particles, which effectively removes water between the tire and the icy surface. As you’ve guessed, this greatly enhances the tire’s grip on wintery roads.
Key Differences
1. Wet Performance
Optimal wet performance means optimal safety, and both tires absolutely delivered in this regard.
However, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90’s Multi-Cell compound and tread design give it excellent hydroplaning resistance and water ejection compared to the Cooper Evolution Winter.
2. Dry Performance
Although these tires are winter tires, we also have to take dry performance into account, since not all roads are paved with ice and snow throughout winter. Amazingly, both tires are equally reliable.
Whether it’s cornering or steering response, both tires handled dry roads well. Moreover, the tread designs from Cooper and Bridgestone bring a significant advantage, too, especially when it comes to traction.
3. Snow Performance
Now to the meat and potatoes of this comparison—snow performance. Since both options are winter tires, expect superb winter performance from both brands. In fact, the difference between the two tires’ performance was negligible at most.
But, if we had to pick a side, we’d have to go with the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, mainly due to its directional tread design and pattern, which was slightly better when it came to ejecting slush and snow from its grooves than the Cooper Evolution Winter.
4. Ice Performance
Right off the bat, we were definitely surprised when it came to ice performance. Although the Cooper Evolution Winter has studdable features, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 had slightly better grip on ice.
It’s vividly clear that Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 multicell compound and bite particles are effective at drastically enhancing grip on ice—even beating out classic studs.
5. Noise and Comfort
Noise and comfort aren’t exactly a winter tire’s forte, but there’s no doubt that both are equally important. For us, noise was a glaring issue on the Cooper Evolution Winter due to its studs, which gave a clicking sound as the vehicle moved.
Naturally, since the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is studless, it didn’t have this issue. As for ride comfort, both tires were very comfortable and were able to mitigate vibrations when passing through potholes and bumps.
6. Price
While we don’t consider Cooper Evolution Winters as budget winter tires, they’re actually cheaper than their Bridgestone counterpart.
In fact, a size 215/55R16 Cooper Evolution Winter tire is priced at $143.99, while the Blizzak WS90 is much more expensive at $162.99.
Conclusion
In our Cooper Evolution Winter vs Bridgestone Blizzak comparison, it’s vividly clear that Bridgestone’s premier winter tire is objectively better. Whether it’s wet performance or snow and ice, it’s definitely the better choice.
However, the Cooper Evolution Winter isn’t a terrible tire by any means, as it has incredibly decent performance across all boards.
And while it can’t beat the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, it’s definitely more affordable, making it a suitable option if you’re looking for value when traversing through snow and ice all-season long.
