To add to Jim H’s comments I operated a Flight school with four 172’s for a dozen years. At 6’4" I was comfortable in a 172 but not so at all in a a 152 and it was very easy to be over gross with a 152 with me. But, the best benefit I found was that these stock 172 trainer planes did admirable duty as banner tow aircraft. Sure there are much better ones and we were limited to 32 5’ letters and no billboards but, with 4 planes running continually with banners at a football game or other large event they really made me some $$. I had 1 with a Lycoming O-320 (4 cylinder) and 3 with Continental O-300 (6 cylinder) engines and had the most reliability with the Continentals.