>>414796304 has great route design. Having played both 3 and 4 lately, I'd say they're around the same in terms of map design. It just feels different b/c 3 focuses heavily on water, whereas 4 focuses more on land.
The route you posted is what I'd consider and "break" route. Every region has one of these, like Kanto route 7 or Hoenn pic related. It's often after a long arduous route to give players a "break" or an easier time. In the pic you posted, it's the route to Canalave. But you have to consider what comes before. After beating Crasher, you head all the way to Valor resort and Cynthia gives you the secret potion to access route 210 to get surf in Celestic. It's a pretty long trek and the game itself doesn't tell you where to go. The player themselves have to figure out what to do next with HM surf. It's more than enough to justify the shortness of that route
