There is provided a controller for a hybrid vehicle which can improve fuel consumption performance and driveability. A controller for a hybrid vehicle which can run in an EV drive mode in which an electric motor 101 is driven by electric power of a battery 113 only and a series drive mode in which the electric motor 101 is driven by electric power generated by a generator 107 using power of an engine 109 includes a demanded driving force calculation unit, a demanded electric power calculation unit, an available uppermost outputting value setting unit, and an engine starting determination unit. The engine starting determination unit starts the engine 109 so that the vehicle runs in the series drive mode when the demanded electric power demanded of the electric motor 101 exceeds the available uppermost outputting value.