A vehicle control device applied to a vehicle 10, which comprises an engine 11, a gear-changing transmission 17 for selectively switching gears, and a clutch device 16 for transmitting and cutting off motive power between the engine 11 and the transmission 17, acquires information detected by a rotational speed sensor 44, calculates the engine speed on the basis of this detected information, and determines whether or not to change gears on the basis of a change gradient of at least a prescribed gradient produced in the calculated engine speed.