Molded plastic panel having integrated, localized soft-touch aesthetic feature

An automotive interior panel comprising:

• an injection-molded, rigid plastic substrate configured to fit onto an inside of a vehicle door and having a shelf configured as an armrest;
• a cover secured to an outer face of the substrate, the cover having sufficient flexibility to yield readily under the weight of a human hand;
• and
• a pad of resilient foam material disposed on the shelf of the substrate and closely secured between and encapsulated by the substrate and the cover along an outer peripheral edge of the pad, the pad being configured to cover only an armrest portion of the substrate including the shelf and an area of the outer face of the substrate proximate the shelf, the remainder of the outer face of the substrate being free of the pad, the pad and a portion of the cover overlying the pad providing a soft, compressible cushion for the armrest portion without a visible outline of the pad being visible on the cover along the outer peripheral edge of the pad.