Provided is a vehicle control device in which when there is a request to cancel sailing stop control during the execution of sailing stop control, a transmission controller issues an engagement instruction to a forward clutch after an engine is started so that said forward clutch is engaged when the rotational speed of the engine becomes a target engine rotational speed set on the basis of at least vehicle speed and the transmission ratio of a continuously variable transmission and, when the target engine rotational speed at the time of the request to cancel sailing stop control is less than afirst predetermined value, downshifts the continuously variable transmission prior to engagement of the forward clutch.