The 172RG did not find wide acceptance in the personal aircraft market because of higher initial and operating costs accompanied by mediocre cruising speed, but was adopted by many flight schools since it met the specific requirements for "complex aircraft" experience necessary to obtain a Commercial Pilot certificate (the role for which it was intended), at relatively low cost.
172RG fandt ikke nogen stor udbredelse i det private marked på grund af de højere indkøbs- og driftsomkostninger og en middelmådig marchfart, men gjorde udbredt tjeneste som skolefly (rollen som den var designet til) siden den mødte de specifikke krav til et "komplekst fly" som en elev skulle have erfaring med for at opnå et kommercielt pilotcertifikat, for en relativt lav pris.