A vehicle control apparatus includes a first fuel-cut duration extending portion that, when a fuel-cut is being executed during deceleration of the vehicle, slows the decrease in the engine speed by executing a slip control of a lock-up clutch; and a second fuel-cut duration extending portion which, when the engine speed has decreased to a coast-downshift threshold, which is higher by a given amount than a fuel-cut cancellation threshold, while the slip control is being executed, allows to downshift the automatic transmission if the road on which the vehicle is presently traveling has a downhill gradient that is larger than a reference value.