To provide a vehicle drive device that can suppress a response delay when starting of an internal combustion engine by an electric motor.

When starting an engine 6 into operation under power of an electric motor 7 during EV running at a predetermined variable speed gear stage through a first variable speed part, an electrical machinery control unit 5 of the vehicle drive device 1, determines whether the engine 6 can be started through the variable speed gear stage in the second variable speed part which is one step higher than the present variable speed gear stage in the first variable speed part, and starts the engine 6 into operation through the variable speed gear stage in the second variable speed part by concluding the second clutch 42, when the engine 6 can be started through the variable speed gear stage in the second variable speed part which is one step higher than the present variable speed gear stage in the first variable speed part.