That's the problem with the Jetta - the dash *doesn't* look good.
This. There are ways to make hard plastic look like soft stuff. The jetta's is kinda shiny and shaped weird. The previous generation Corolla could show the Jetta some lessons, as it's dash is hard (door trim soft touch) but it never ever looks cheap.
Toyota is similarly guilty with it's oddly grained hard plastic.
When Chrysler was introducing its refreshed lineup, they made a big deal about how soft touch plastics don't only look good, but because vent surrounds and other dash items can "bite into" the soft touch material around them, squeaks and rattles from dash components are greatly lessened. Also, gaps around components can be made smaller.
My car has soft touch dash materials, but only on the lower portion of the dash as a knee bolster component...it's devoid of any real graining..more of a smooth leatherishness than anything, ditto the soft touch (barely..its literally vinyl wrapped around foam the thickness of a few sheets of printer paper) door trim.
When I look at a car, (or sit inside one driven by a friend or someone I know) I'm guilty of checking out the interior materials. I came across disappointed when the last generation Pilot and Highlander had a hard touch dash (and the Pilot's door trim was even worse...blech) and i walked away disappointed. I couldn't see myself paying that much for a meh interior. My dad's early 90's accord's dashboard is very nice as well imo.
In the case of the Saturn, I was ok with the materials used, as the graining on the upper dash looked ok and not overly cheap.
I was impressed by the interior in the last/current Versa SL. Soft touch materials are impressive, nearly everywhere, (even covering the rear doors, unlike the Fiesta) nicely grained and fit well together. The Fiesta's "class leading" interior is disappointing in comparison imo.
EDIT: I think a dash's physical layout/shape/design has a big impact on percieved cheapness. The Jetta's center stack is shaped as if it was made for the easiest installation process possible at the factory, things don't look as integrated as other vehicles, even those with radio's not built into the center stack itself. Another example: The previous generation Sportage. While it's a decent cuv, the dash's overall layout ensures that no amount of soft plastic could make it feel upscale.