We will be driving from Ronda to Granada. It would take a bit longer, but would a drive along the coast from Malaga be very scenic or is it better just to go the shorter route? Thank you for any advice.

It is a very long detour (really long), and you'll have to drive into Malaga outskirts, with potential traffic jams. However, it'll be more picturesque than the interior, but you'll have to take the coastal road N-340, little traffic nowadays as the motorway runs on the interior.
Come back when you decide for driving tips and stops.

josele, correct me if I am wrong, but I have driven that coastal road twice and if I recall it is quite windy in a few places, VERY scenic, but not for the faint at heart. ( I remember someone I was traveling with was NOT very relaxed.)

It's nice to see the med but the towns of the Costa del Sol aren't much to look at.

Lin, I think you are referring to the road from Ronda to the coast (San Pedro), which is frightening for many. The motorway from Marbella to Nerja is perfectly safe and unremarkable, at least to our standards. Some strerches around Calahonda in Granada and Sacratif cape I find a bit tricky, but OP shall detour past Salobreña. About the wind, it is windy some days, and you may notice at the Benalmadena stretch; but only some days.

The road from ronda to the coast is a really nice one.

Just got out a map. I thin it was the stretch form Salobreña to Almuñecar along the coast, which is what i thought the OP was referring to.

That stretch is motorway already. But coastal wasn't dangerous as I recall.

Thamks so much for all your responses. I've been away from my computer for several days. Since we don't have much time in Granada anyway, we have decided to take the shorter route.