To provide a vehicle control device for improving the fuel economy of an engine.

The vehicle control device is provided with: an engine; a transmission; and an engaging element which is engaged when any gear ratio is achieved by the transmission and which connects an input member and an output member of the transmission to transmit power. This vehicle control device includes: an efficiency determination means (step S2) for determining whether or not the efficiency of the engine satisfies a reference value; an estimation means (step S3) for, when it is determined that the efficiency of the engine does not satisfy the reference value, estimating a power loss to be generated due to the slip of the engaging element, and for estimating the improvement of the engine efficiency to be generated due to a change in engine speed; a comparison means (step S4) for comparing the power loss with the improvement of the engine efficiency, and for determining which is larger; and a slide control means (step S5) for, when it is determined that the improvement of the engine efficiency is larger than the power loss, changing the engine speed by causing the engaging element to slip.