I didn't miss the point you folks were indicating you were considering changing tyres based on the opinion of tyre seller employees who probably have a vested interest in selling tyres and the opinion of strangers on 'other' forums. I just pointed out that many qualified people who had done extensive testing on the design of your car should have ensured that the tyres fitted to your vehicle were up to the task. And I will add some more of my 10cents worth.
My carnival is legally rated to tow a 2500kg trailer/caravan/etc as long as it is braked trailer/caravan/etc. And as it is designed by the manufacturer of the car and I am sure the tyres maker was required to supply tyres that must meet that requirement. To do that otherwise the car would not be given design approval to be sold in my country with that towing rating, if the tyres were consider not up to the task the towing rating would have been reduced. I would imagine that most countries have similar systems in place to certify a vehicle with all its equipment as sold with its ratings can do the task. But I also know that the 2500kg max towing weight is not sitting on my back tyres.
Also just as important most tow hitch systems have a limit on the down force that a correctly loaded trailer can apply to it, and that typically is not exceding 100kg. As you would be aware the towed trailer/caravan/etc tyres' carry the vast majority of that units weight. 100kg downforce is equivalent to a fat passenger, so hardly putting much strain on the cars rear tyres.
Now unless the laws are a lot different in the UK the car maker and the hitch maker do advise the vehicle operator to limit the amount of down force applied to the rear of the tow vehicle to no more that typically 100kg (no big ask for the tyres on a 1800kg empty weight car) to exceed that would void the warranty and insurance.
I have not checked recently but I recall carnivals tyres are rated around 670 kg each, therefore total vehicle to max loading cannot exceed 2680kg (4 X 670kg), GVM that is the sum of the vehicle, a full pax load, fuel, luggage and hitch downforce of 100kg max probably caps out around 2500kg, therefore tyre load limit is not exceeded by design.
Towing should be conducted with a bit of science and not on the gut feeling of a tyre fitter no matter how experienced.
I do have a lot of experience as I do extensively tow, I regularly use a 12X6 dual car trailer hauling full size sedans and I use regular radial ply tyres on both car and trailer without problem, I also until recently used a 1800kg caravan and hauled it to most parts of Australia, sometimes racking up in excess of 10000kms in a year and I have shredded a few tyres over the years but most were on the towed trailer or caravan. But I don't tow with the carnival I use a locally manufactured chrysler V8, I think the carnival is a little underengined to tow well.
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