My wife and l sat in both the vehicles and even though they look slightly different they feel the same to me. My wife says the Mariner is seats are more comfortable and softer. l would think that the seats would be made at the same factory but covered slightly different. Our marriage is RIDING on this! Well maybe not quite.
(Cloth) seats

Those seat covers are made in Mexico and shipped to the US, and a company like Leer puts them together, and then shipped into the plant but other ford plants may have in house Assembly , hope this helps.

They are the same seats. Same parts, same cushion, different covering.

SAME SEAT , DIFFERENT FABRIC
FOR THE MARRIAGE SAKE THOUGH , SHE IS RIGHT , ALL THE TIME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

l do not know, but the Mercury Mariner is classier than the Escape with an affordable price. Check it out here: http://mercuryvehicles.com/mariner/?s_kwcid=mercury%20mariner|564416880&gclid=COPc2Kz47o0CFQEBYQodf39kNA

Here are consumer reports from people who own one: http://autos..com/mercury_mariner-reviews_user/