Bridgestone Tires

From Kurume to the World

Bridgestone was founded in 1931 in Kurume, Japan, by Shojiro Ishibashi — the company name is a rough English translation of his surname, which means "stone bridge." It has grown into one of the largest tire makers in the world, and since 1988 it has owned the American Firestone brand. Closer to home, Bridgestone builds passenger tires at its plant in Joliette, Quebec.

Blizzak and the Rest of the Lineup

For Ontario drivers, the name that comes up most is Blizzak — Bridgestone's dedicated winter family, built around a compound designed to bite on ice and stay soft in deep cold. Blizzak comes in passenger-car versions and in versions sized for SUVs and light trucks, and it's one of the most commonly requested winter tires we hear about.

Outside winter, the Turanza family is Bridgestone's comfort-focused touring line, Potenza covers performance and sports cars, and Dueler and Alenza cover SUVs and light trucks. WeatherPeak is Bridgestone's all-weather option, rated for severe snow so it can stay on year-round.

Bridgestone tends to sit near Michelin on price. If winter grip is your priority and you're running a dedicated winter set from November to April, it's one of the strongest places to start.

Pairing Blizzak With an All-Season Set

A common setup for York Region drivers is a Blizzak winter set from late fall to spring, paired with a Turanza or other all-season tire for the rest of the year. Because each set only covers half the year, both last longer. If you go that route, putting your Blizzaks on their own set of rims makes every seasonal changeover a quick wheel swap rather than a full mount and balance — and we handle those changeovers here at the shop.