Compatibility between prevention of hunting of engine start and stop and improvement of fuel consumption is achieved during traveling with mode transitions. An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor-generator, a first clutch and a mode transition control means. The motor-generator is disposed in a drive system (power train) between engine and tire wheels to perform a start of the engine and drive for the tire wheels according to motor acceleration and power generation according to regeneration. The first clutch switches between an HEV mode and an EV mode. Mode transition control means implements a delay time from a time at which an engine stop allowance condition is established to a time at which a mode transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode is started in a high vehicle speed area that is higher than a delay time in another vehicle speed area.