A vehicle control device controls a vehicle provided with a transmission to travel at a set speed. The transmission has a direct gear and normal gears including an overdrive gear having a lower gear ratio than the direct gear. The device includes a travel segment determination unit which determines a forward travel segment having a different road slope from a current travel segment, a current gear position selection unit that selects a current gear position based on a travel resistance of the vehicle, a forward gear position selection unit that selects a forward gear position based on a travel resistance of the vehicle in the forward travel segment, and a shift control unit that changes a gear position to the forward gear position when the vehicle reaches the forward travel segment on condition that a difference between the set speed and the vehicle speed is within a prescribed range.