What it's like to ride in the BMW i3 and i8 (in a word, great)

To paraphrase the old Sally Field line from the Oscars: they liked 'em. They really liked 'em. With BMW set to unveil its first two plug-ins under its "i" badge within the next 12 months or so (the i3 is due in late 2013, the i8 in the first half of 2014), journalists from Car Magazine and UK's Autocar recently had the chance to go for some test drives.

Not surprisingly, both cars earned kudos. The i3 was praised by Car for its cabin roominess, handling, ride and acceleration. The 170-horsepower EV went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.3 seconds and "feels faster" than a Mini Cooper S, Car said, adding that the i3 was "shaping up to be a breakthrough electric car."

Autocar was lucky enough to get rides in both the i3 EV and i8 plug-in hybrid. The former was praised for its "uncluttered" interior, great visibility, agility and traction. But Autocar seemed to have more fun in the i8, whose combination of engines deliver 349 horsepower and a 0-60 time in about 4.5 seconds. The publication was particularly impressed with the "seamless" interplay of its engines and also complimented the car for its nice ride.

Lucky dogs.