A hybrid electric vehicle is capable of transmitting driving forces of an engine and an electric motor to driving wheels through an automatic transmission and of releasing mechanical connection between the engine and the transmission by a clutch. A torque control unit switches between deceleration implemented only by the motor and deceleration by the engine and the motor by controlling the clutch based upon magnitude relation between a required deceleration torque and an upper limit deceleration torque generable by the motor. The required torque and the upper limit deceleration torques become equal to each other when the revolution speed of the motor is predetermined revolution speed. The predetermined revolution speed for the required deceleration torque corresponding to a forward gear related to downshift of the transmission differs from revolution speed that falls in the range of revolution speed fluctuation of the motor at the time of the downshift.