Abstract: This vehicle control device 10 is provided with: a current gear stage selection unit 13 which selects a current gear stage, which is the gear stage of the vehicle in the present travel state; a travel segment determination unit 15 which determines the next travel segment forwards in the direction of travel of the vehicle V; and a shift control unit 17 which, in the case that the current gear stage selection unit 13 has newly selected a target gear stage lower than the current gear stage during travel of the vehicle V in the current gear stage in the current travel segment, if the next travel segment can be traveled in the current gear stage and the amount the vehicle V will lose speed after traveling the current travel segment is less than or equal to a prescribed threshold value, controls shifting of the gear stage such that downshifting from the current gear stage to the target gear stage is suppressed and the current gear stage is maintained.