[2] It was the first car to be produced in large volumes at the company's then new plant at Douai, although small pilot runs of the Renault 5 had preceded the 14's production in the factory.

The design was generally well thought out and practical with interior space a major selling point, including a rear seat that could either be folded or removed completely.

Although all Renault cars were by now front wheel drive, the 14 was the first of the manufacturer's models to incorporate a space saving Mini-like transversely mounted engine.

The 14 shared with several previous Renault models a rear suspension system using two full-width torsion bars positioned one behind the other, along with the resulting wheelbase difference of more than 1 inch (32 mm) between the left and right sides of the car.

[5] The Renault 14 may have been one of the first front-wheel drive hatchbacks of its size to be produced in Europe, but within four years of its launch it was facing fierce competition from a growing number of similar products from rival manufacturers, particularly the Ford Escort MK3, Opel Kadett (Vauxhall Astra in the UK), Fiat Ritmo/Strada and Talbot Horizon.

Sales of the 14 were hampered by an advertising campaign that compared it to the shape of a pear in order to hammer home the benefits of the advanced packaging with plenty of room for passengers and luggage.

[2] The R14 is now a rare sight on the roads of Europe, even in its native France where they tended to last longer due to easy parts availability through the extensive dealer network.