CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR VEHICLE

A control device for a vehicle having a drive shaft, an engagement element, an engine connected to the drive shaft via the engagement element, and an electric motor connected to the drive shaft not via the engagement element includes a control portion adapted to stop the engine after a maintaining period in which the engine is maintained at predetermined rotation speed during travel of the vehicle. The a control portion gradually decreases an engagement volume of the engagement element while gradually increasing a power generation load of the electric motor during the maintaining period to disengage the engagement element, and stops the engine after disengagement of the engagement element.