Yea, check the POH....very important, especially if you have a short runway and any sort of density altitiude.
The newer 172 probably has a 180HP engine doesn't it? In my experience, a PA28 Warrior (160) / C172 (160HP) will carry three big blokes fueled to the tabs ok. A new 172 will take two bigish blokes, and two girls (no luggage) with nearly full fuel.
(besides it doesn't matter if you're a bit overweight on takeoff....you soon burn off some of that fuel....
......joke...before some of you reach for the keyboard and fly into a typing frenzy
)
Cheers
EA
