There are a lot of bikes on the market with 160mm forks that pedal very well and are entirely enjoyable on relatively XC trails, but much of the travel won't be used. The industry is moving towards 130-150mm of travel for general purpose trail bikes on 27.5" bikes and 120-140mm for 29" bikes. Suspension design for the frame also plays a pretty significant role in how efficiently the bike pedals and how supportive the bike feels near sag.
OP: Sounds like you picked an appropriate bike for your use; I hope you enjoy it.
Honestly a lot of hard charging riders enjoy relatively short travel bikes because they ride with finesse and may prioritize a more supportive feel to the suspension, and a lot of relatively gentle riders like the very plush, linear suspension performance of a longer travel bike on easy terrain. As long as what you're on makes sane sense, there's a lot of room for personal preference.