Supply is the first difference
As of August 2026, PlaneFox lists 288 Cessna 172 Skyhawks and 54 Diamond DA40s. That five-to-one ratio is the practical difference between the two aircraft before any specification is compared: a 172 buyer can wait for the right example, a DA40 buyer generally cannot.
The asking prices
Read the two brands rather than a single advert. Cessna shows 1,580 listings on PlaneFox with 741 priced, a median of EUR 188,000 and typical build years from 1964 to 2008. Diamond shows 201 listings with 130 priced, a median of EUR 509,000 and typical build years from 2001 to 2025.
Most of that gap is age, not capability. The 172 has been in production far longer and current listings include 1970s airframes. The DA40 is a much younger design, so its listed fleet is one or two generations newer.
Both aircraft sit inside the four-seat segment, which shows 420 listings on PlaneFox with 304 priced, a median of EUR 238,000 and a middle half of EUR 105,000 to EUR 438,000. Check each aircraft against its own model page, because a 1975 Skyhawk and a 2015 Skyhawk are different purchases under the same model name.
Aluminium against composite
The 172 is a riveted aluminium airframe. Corrosion is the recurring concern, particularly on aircraft based near salt water, and the inspection and repair skills are available at essentially any maintenance organisation.
The DA40 is composite. It does not corrode and it is aerodynamically cleaner, but structural repairs need a shop approved and equipped for composite work, and an unhangared composite airframe suffers from ultraviolet exposure and heat. Paint on a composite aircraft is a structural matter rather than a cosmetic one, because the finish controls the laminate's temperature.
The practical consequence is that a hangar is optional on a 172 and close to mandatory on a DA40. Price that in before comparing the two on purchase price alone.
Engines and TBO
FAA type certificate data sheet 3A12 fits the 172R and 172S with the Lycoming IO-360-L2A, rated 160 hp on the 172R and 180 hp once modified by the Cessna kit. Lycoming's Service Instruction 1009BF, revised 20 July 2026, gives that engine 2,000 hours when overhauled and 2,600 hours when factory new or factory rebuilt, inside a twelve calendar year limit that applies to every model the instruction covers. The O-320 variants in earlier 172s sit on the same 2,000 and 2,600 hour split.
EASA type certificate data sheet EASA.IM.A.022 fits the petrol DA40 with the Lycoming IO-360-M1A. The DA40 NG uses the Austro Engine E4, also sold as the AE300, a compression ignition engine certified for diesel and Jet A-1 with its own component life limits distinct from the piston overhaul cycle. A diesel DA40 and a petrol DA40 are different ownership propositions and should not be compared on airframe hours alone.
Avionics
The DA40 is one of the more common G1000 airframes on the market: 31 of the 452 G1000-equipped listings on PlaneFox are DA40s. The 172 fleet is mixed, spanning original analogue panels, partial retrofits and factory G1000 installations in the 172S.
On a 172, establish exactly what is installed and whether it is approved for instrument flight, rather than inferring it from the model year. On a DA40, establish whether the panel is G1000 or G1000 NXi, because that affects both capability and what the aircraft is worth to the next buyer.
What to check on each
On a 172, inspect for corrosion at the wing spar carry-through, the aft fuselage and the belly skins, and confirm the seat rail and seat lock inspection status. Read the last three annual sign-offs alongside the airworthiness directive compliance list with next-due dates, and confirm which engine variant is fitted so the correct TBO applies.
On a DA40, inspect the composite surfaces for delamination and repair history, and confirm that any repair was carried out under approved data by an organisation approved for composite work. Check the canopy and its latch mechanism, the control surface hinges and the landing gear. On a DA40 NG, treat the Austro AE300 gearbox and component life limits as a separate schedule from airframe hours, and get the next-due dates in writing.
Which one
Take the 172 when budget is the binding constraint, when the aircraft will live outside, and when maintenance needs to be possible anywhere. It is the most listed single in Germany, at 29 of the 466 aircraft for sale there, so parts and expertise are close by.
Take the DA40 when you want a modern glass panel, better fuel efficiency and a newer airframe, and when a hangar and a composite-capable maintenance organisation are both available to you.
Compare live inventory on Cessna 172 Skyhawk listings, Diamond DA40 listings, the G1000-equipped selection and the wider four-seat segment.
PlaneFox figures were taken on 7 August 2026 and are asking prices, not transaction prices.