2014 Mazda3 sedan teaser surfaces, authenticity questioned

Thanks to our ever-industrious readers, we've received a number of tips today about the as-yet-unseen sedan variant of the 2014 Mazda3. All center on the image above, which is claimed to be a leaked first look at the new compact. It certainly looks convincing enough, with its short rear deck, graceful almond-shaped taillamps, nicely sculpted bumper fascia and somewhat tacked-on rear spoiler, suggesting the pictured car is an uplevel model. We think it looks great, but if it's the real deal, we have to wonder how large the trunk opening will be.

We decided to reach out to our sources at Mazda, who expressed some doubt as to its authenticity, with one official commenting that based on this individual image, "[It's] hard to tell if it's real, or someone guessed what it'll look like by grafting a Mazda3 badge onto a Mazda6 tail." We won't have to wait long to figure out for sure, however – the sedan reveal is promised in a few weeks' time.