Positioned as the top-level station wagon of the Ford division, the Country Squire was distinguished by woodgrain bodyside trim.

During the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, Ford would use the Squire nameplate on intermediate, mid-size, compact, and subcompact vehicles, denoting station wagons with woodgrain exterior trim.

[1] Designed by Eugene Gregorie and Ross Cousins, the Ford station wagon marked the first transition away from the full "woodie".

In place of a complete wooden body aft of the firewall, the 1949 Ford station wagon was designed with a steel roof, rear fenders, and tailgate frame.

[2] Wood construction remained for the side bodywork and upper and lower tailgate (using mahogany plywood trimmed by maple or birch).

[4] In another change, the Country Squire also received heavier-duty rear-suspension, wider tires, and a larger fuel tank over Ford sedans.

While sharing much of its body (though not its wheelbase) with the newly introduced Mercury Monterey, only the Country Squire featured wood paneling as standard.

Designed by Gordon Buehrig, the second-generation Country Squire was developed under a goal to maximize parts commonality between sedan and station wagon model lines.

[6] The listed retail price was US$2,384 ($27,353 in 2023 dollars [3]) and production numbers dropped significantly with the introduction of the all steel bodied Country Sedan and the more upscale Mercury Monterey wood-bodied station wagon, having only built 5,426.

For 1953 (marking the 50th anniversary of Ford), the Country Squire featured a commemorative steering wheel center and rear-door armrests became standard.

To distinguish itself from the Country Sedan, DI-NOC (vinyl transfers) was used to simulate the mahogany paneling, accented by birch or maple.

[9] While the roofline from the B-pillar rearward was essentially identical from the previous generation, a panoramic windshield (with a vertical A-pillar) was introduced.

[9] For 1956, alongside all Fords, the Country Squire received a new grille, distinguished by rectangular turn signals/parking lights and wider openings.

In a functional change, Ford upgraded to a 12-volt electrical system, allowing additional starting power and capability with electrical-power options.

[9] Carried over from the previous generation, the standard engine of the third-generation Country Squire was the 223 cu in (3.7 L) "Mileage Maker" inline-6, increasing output to 120 hp (89 kW; 122 PS).

The only station wagon with standard-equipment wood paneling (of any type) from 1954 to 1956, the Country Squire was joined by the Mercury Colony Park in 1957 and briefly with the Edsel Bermuda in 1958.

To further reduce vehicle height, the rear leaf springs were moved outboard of the frame rails and the wheels were decreased in diameter from 15 to 14 inches.

To improve entry and exit, the forward-sloping A-pillar was replaced by a rearward-sloping design, allowing for wider front door opening.

General Motors introduced wood trim for the 1966 Chevrolet Caprice Estate and in 1967 for the Buick Sport Wagon and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser.

[13] To comply with the implementation of safety regulations in the United States, many running changes were made during this generation, effectively standardizing the equipment introduced by the Lifeguard option package.

For 1966, Ford standardized front and rear seat belts, a padded dashboard and sun visors, a deep-dish steering wheel, reinforced door latches, and emergency flashers.

In a major styling change, full-size Ford's adopted vertically-stacked headlamps, raising the hood line and enlarging the grille.

[25] Coinciding with the introduction of the 1966 Ford Thunderbird and its alignment with the Ford LTD, the Country Squire adopted its split-grille front fascia and no longer offering vertically stacked dual headlights, and adopting optionally available, vacuum-operated hidden headlamps; as a fail-safe, the system retracted the headlamp covers if engine vacuum was lost.

While the feature was shared with the Colony Park (and its Marquis counterpart), the redesign marked a significant differentiation of front fascia designs between the two model lines.

In various adaptations, the two-way rear door would become utilized on full-size station wagons across Ford, General Motors, and AMC during the 1970s.

The addition of emissions controls and the adoption of unleaded fuel required lowered compression ratios and retarded ignition timing.

[32] While still built on the same chassis and 121-inch wheelbase, the addition of 5 mph bumpers would add over six inches in length to the LTD Country Squire by the end of the 1974 model year.

The 429 and 460 V8s were a common option due to the especially sluggish performance of the detuned 400 engine that was now struggling to drive the ever-increasing weight of a Country Squire.

Eleven inches shorter and nearly 1000 pounds lighter than its 1978 predecessor, the redesigned Country Squire retained its 8-passenger seating capability with only slightly reduced cargo capacity.

†non-woodgrain LTD Crown Victoria and Country Squire wagons counted as one total starting in 1983††286,673 units total, including non-woodgrain wagons produced 1979–1982 With certain versions of the Country Squire, an AM/FM-Cassette stereo with a combined and fully integrated Citizens' Band (CB) two-way radio, and replacement dual-purpose automatic antenna (with only one visible difference; the aerial mast was a larger diameter, and black-band at approximately half-way up).