If you are looking for a comparable tire to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tire, The Blizzak WS90, available at blackcircles is a good alternative. Both tires fit cars and SUVs, and both have deep sipes to help with traction on snow and ice. Both perform very well in the winter. Blackcircles helps you compare the Blizzak WS90 vs. the Nokian Hakkapeliitta specifications before making your choice.
Blizzak WS90 Specifications
The Blizzak WS90 does not have a defined load range and has a speed rating of H. These blackwall tires have a tread depth of 12/32 of an inch. The tire diameter is 26.8 inches on a 225/55/R17 tire. Bizzak tires have the following features and benefits:
Snow and Ice
Because of the deep sipes, this tire performs very well on snow and ice. Tire shops have rated this tire as a 10 for ice on a scale of 1 to 10. They rated the tire with a rating of 8 for snow. The tire has a new tread compound and has more tread area for better performance on the ice. It also has 30 percent more block stiffness on the treads for better wear, but this has not affected its performance in snow and on ice.
Ride Comfort
Winter tires aren’t known for good ride comfort because manufacturers make them with a softer rubber for a better grip in snow and ice. However, tire shops have rated the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 an 8 for ride comfort.
Wet Performance
Winter isn’t all ice and snow. Sometimes the roads are wet from snowmelt or rain, especially earlier in the season or later in the season where warmer temperatures prevail in the afternoons. The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 received a rating of 8 for performance in wet conditions.
Dry Performance
Of course, the roads are not always wet, snowy or icy in the winter – even in Canada. These tires perform well enough on dry roads, even though they are designed for snow, slush, and ice. The WS90 tires received a rating of 7 for performance in dry conditions.
Noisiness
Another downside of winter tires, especially studded tires, is that they are often noisy. Blizzak WS90 tires are no noisier than other tires and received a rating of 7.
What Reviewers Said
Reviewers had the following to say about the Blizzak WS90 tires:
- “Drove 5,000 miles, including 3,000 miles in Texas on dry and wet chipseal roads. Kept full control of the vehicle while others were hydroplaning. Was able to work through snarled traffic because of a snowstorm in Portland, OR on the way home to Vancouver. They made it through the snow, including ruts. The tires clawed their way through 12 inches of snow, plus a berm of snow at the end of the driveway on a car with 6 inches of clearance. Still had ¾ of the tread left after 8,000 miles.”
- “Smooth and quiet ride. The tire is quieter than other winter tires and has good rolling resistance. Superb grip in snow.”
- “Likes better than the Michelin XIce 3. The tires performed great in snow and freezing rain mix. Holds the road in slush, snow, ice.”
- “Drove through snow and ice and noticed a huge difference from other tires. The tires got through snow and ice as if the pavement was dry. They also stopped well in slippery conditions.”
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 Specifications
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 has an XL load range and a speed rating of up to 118 mph. These blackwall tires have a tread depth of 12/32 of an inch. The tire diameter is 26.74 inches on a 225/55/R17 tire. Nokia tires have the following features and benefits:
Snow and Ice
Nokian winter tires also have deep sipes to help with traction in snow and ice. Reviewers rated the Hakkapeliitta 8 with a 10 for traction in light snow, 9.7 for traction in deep snow, and 9.7 for traction on ice. The tire features Cryo-Silane Gen 2 tread compound to help with traction in snow and on ice.
Ride Comfort
As with other winter tires, the ride comfort isn’t the best, but it’s not the worst, either. Reviewers rated the Hakkapeliitta 8’s ride comfort with a 7.7 rating, which is quite good for a winter tire.
Wet Performance
Driving on wet roads isn’t the same as driving on snowy or even slushy roads. Tires behave differently, depending on the stiffness of the sidewall, the depth of the tread, and the malleability of the rubber. The Nokia Hakkapeliitta 8 did surprisingly well for a studded winter tire and received a rating of 9.0 for driving on wet roads.
Dry Performance
In most cases, you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Not so with the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. While the performance on dry roads isn’t as good as it is on snowy roads, reviewers did rate this tire with an 8.3 rating for dry roads.
Noisiness
As with all winter tires, the Nokian tires are rather noisy compared to some other tires. Reviewers rated the Hakkapeliitta 8 with a 6 for noise.
What Reviewers Said
Reviewers had the following to say about the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires:
- “Excellent handling, kept traction, crisp response.”
- “Drives about 200 miles per day for business. Tires have been phenomenal in the snow. Prius gets traction immediately. Great braking and cornering performance in the snow and on icy roads. Drives in the mountains, and the tires keep the car on the road, even when driving on switchbacks and up steep slopes.”
- “Superior to other winter tires the reviewer had in the past.”
Blizzak WS90 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
The Blizzak WS90 tires are an excellent alternative to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. Overall, they had very close ratings for traction in snow, ice and slush. They also had similar ratings for driving in dry and wet conditions. The one area where the ratings were not close was in the quietness of the tires, though the Blizzak is not a studded tire while the Nokian is. Thus, the Nokian is expected to be noisier unless you remove the studs.
