Our flying club has a large number of different trainers for rent at
varying prices, but I am not sure which planes are suited for what
missions. Is there any site that offers an overview in terms of max.
cruise airspeed and max. useful load (basic configuration), etc. ?
Maybe someone in this group could provide a quick rundown of how these
types compare to each other ?

C152,
C172N (160HP) ,
C172N (180HP) ,
C172SP (180HP) ,
PA28-161 (160HP),
PA28-181 (180HP)

The C152 is an obvious choice for touch&go practice or short local
single person flights. But what about single person long XC ? Would it
make more sense to use a 160HP vs. a 180HP plane in that case due to
increased airspeed ? Is it better to haul 4 people in a Cessna than in
a Piper ? Faster to move 3 people in an Archer than in a Warrior ?
My CFI recommended using a 180HP C172N as opposed to the 180HP C172SP
since the latter is heavier resulting in lower climb performance
despite similar brake HP.

Your thoughts are appreciated.
- Marco