It's been two months since our paparazzi spotted the brand-new BMW 1 Series Sedan testing on public roads, and the upcoming four-door returned to show us some of its interior. It's the first time we're able to take a peek at the vehicle's cabin, which also means we're looking at the interior set to find its way into the next-generation 1 Series hatch.->ke304 The latter is scheduled to arrive in showrooms for the 2017 model year, one year after the 1 Series Sedan, using the same UKL front-wheel-drive platform.

Before we take a closer look at the photos we just received in our inbox, we'll remind you that the upcoming 1 Series Sedan is BMW's->ke178 answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the Audi A3 Sedan, two vehicle also offered with all-wheel-drive as standard. We expect it to look like a shrunken 3 Series with some styling cues borrowed from the regular 1 Series and 2 Series and hit dealerships with a range of 1.5-liter, three-cylinder and 2.0-liter, four-pot engines. A high-performance M version is likely out of the question given its FWD configuration, but a slightly souped up M125i is very likely.

Click past the jump to read more about the BMW 1 Series Sedan.

Spy shots

Based on these photos, the interior of the 1 Series Sedan is similar to the 2 Series Active Tourer's. That's far from shocking, as the sedan rides on the same UKL platform that debuted with the Active Tourer. Although most of the dashboard, the infotainment system, the steering wheel and the HVAC controls are identical to those seen on the 2 Series Active Tourer, the 1 Series Sedan is rather different as far as the center console goes. There's no solid column between the gear shifter and the radio, with the A/C stack "floating" right above the shifter.

Nearly everything else inside the cabin is well hidden under black camouflage, but it seems the sedan is getting the same multifunction steering wheel as the 2 Series Active Tourer. Other than that, we expect the sedan to come with BMW's familiar and exemplary fit and finish, premium materials and plenty of convenience and safety features. Increased legroom in the rear will also be possible thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase.

Why it matters

There's no doubt some BMW enthusiasts are rather disappointed by the company's decision to transform the 1 Series into a front-wheel-drive vehicle, but at least we know the Germans aren't giving up on their solid fit and finish and exquisite interiors. By the looks of things, the upcoming 1 Series' interior is as good as the 2 Series Active Tourer's, and that's good news based on what we've seen in the first Bimmer to use the UKL platform.