RV review: Keystone Cougar 22MLS—big updates, lower price

Today’s RV review looks at one of my favorite couple’s campers out there—the Keystone Cougar 22MLS. We’ve looked at this rig in the past and I looked very seriously at it when we were shopping for our own RV. In fact, there was a time I thought this was the direction we would go, but we stuck with Rockwood for a number of reasons. 

New and improved Keystone Cougar 22MLS for 2025

When you have something that sells like hotcakes, as the Cougar 22MLS does, it’s tough to justify changes to it. But that’s just the opposite of what Keystone did for this year. The changes aren’t dramatic alterations, but are improvements that someone will notice over time. 

The first of those changes is something I’m really happy to see in the Cougar line—antilock brakes. I recently got to go on a ride-along in several RVs equipped with antilock brakes and the significance of this feature can’t be understated. 

Another thing that’s changed down here is the suspension. Keystone is now using a Road Armor™ suspension system that provides a smoother ride and has better bump absorption. This will ultimately have greaseable bolts—so it lasts longer, as well. Plus. 

While Keystone has always talked about their HyperDeck™ flooring, which I got to see a cutaway of in person recently, the company is now using man-made substrates in the walls, including the back wall. Keystone had been a holdout in the use of Lauan, but now they’ve moved to composites. That’s a good thing. 

They’ve also moved to a Norco Exact-Slide^®, which is a unit that allows you to actually occupy the slide when it’s in, not something that’s typically permitted in towables. It is here, now. 

Inside changes

Some of the changes to the interior are really detail changes but, again, make a difference.

The location of the water heater was changed and is now on the camp side under the dinette. This opens up some of the kitchen cabinet space that had been taken up by the water heater. However, it did take away the table and chair option.

If you’d prefer, you can swap in a dining bar with a fireplace, which looks like a pretty nifty option. 

If you do go with the dinette, there are now drawers in the base on each side. There’s also a nifty shoe garage under the dinette right as you walk in. Nice.  

Cougar has also switched to a simpler control panel with switches instead of digital panels. There are also redundant switches for the awning and lights outside in the pass-through. That’s pretty cool. 

Cougar 22MLS - 2025

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Same as it ever was

The rest of the Keystone Cougar 22MLS trailer remains intact—but that’s not a bad thing at all. Cougar certifies their trailers for 0°F – 100°F camping, so they’re well-insulated and designed for those temperature extremes. Many campers are concerned about being able to camp all four seasons and, depending on where you camp, this would work. 

Speaking of seasons, Cougar’s warranty also covers full-time use. You might wonder how many campers would live full-time in a trailer of this size. But I lived in my trailer with my wife for almost five months while we house-shopped and traveled all over the place. 

On the subject of size, this is one of the few Cougar offerings that isn’t available with an automatic leveling system. Frankly, I wouldn’t want one anyway. Using wedge levelers, a travel trailer is so easy to level. I handled too many warranties on automatic leveling systems to have any interest in them. It does have power stabilizer jacks, though. 

On the subject of seasons, one of the seasons many RV companies don’t talk about is allergy season. Any of us who suffer from pollen allergies can attest to this being a legitimate season. To that end, another Keystone advantage is their Blade Pure™ air conditioning system. 

The company has developed their own air handling vents and air intake for the air conditioning. It incorporates a residential air filter to help alleviate those airborne annoyances. I also like that Keystone utilized a standard-size air filter so you can just get a replacement at any hardware store. 

Boondocking and travel access with the Keystone Cougar 22MLS

I was surprised to see that this trailer is fully accessible with the slide in. You can get to the bathroom, which is all the way at the back of the trailer, and the kitchen. There’s a place to dine over on the camp side of this trailer that’s not in the slide. So you have a place for a roadside meal on the way to your destination.

As for boondocking, Keystone has a lot of leadership there, too. The standard solar on this is 220 watts, which may be enough to compensate for the consumption of the 12-volt fridge. Maybe. But there are also 440- and 660-watt configurations available straight from the factory. These upgraded systems, part of Keystone’s SolarFlex™ package, also come with inverters. Still, the base package does have outlets wired for an inverter, if you plan to use one, and features high-quality components.

Lastly, there are 54 gallons of fresh water storage on this trailer—which is a good number.

Final thoughts on the Keystone Cougar 22MLS

One of the things I am bugged by in the RV industry is the shrinking number of camp-side windows. I know windows are pricey as can be. But, doggone it, give me windows or give me darkness. 

Wait. Never mind. 

The point is, this unit does have camp-side windows including one in the door with a shade included. That’s how it’s supposed to be. 

There’s also a larger oven in here. Again, if you’re going to include an oven, put one in that actually is usable, as is done here. 

Of course, no RV is perfect. But you can spot when an RV company isn’t just building to a checklist but is listening to the owners. There aren’t really huge changes to this model, but the changes that exist are worthwhile improvements to a floor plan I already liked quite a bit. 

My thanks to Josh from Bish’s RV for the video and photos in this article.

More about these RV reviews

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.

You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.

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