A method for controlling a vehicle in which a clutch provided on a power transmission path between an engine and a drive wheel is disconnected when a shift range of an automatic transmission is a non-driving range and the clutch is connected when the shift range is a driving range, the method comprising: controlling the engine to a target idling speed, characterized by: determining whether an increase idling speed request is present to set the target idling speed to a second idling speed higherthan a first idling speed, which is a normal idling speed; setting the target idling speed to the second idling speed upon determining that the increase idling speed request is present; setting the target idling speed to the first idling speed and maintaining the first idling speed regardless of operation of the shift range upon determining that the increase idling speed request is not present; setting the target idling speed to a third idling speed which is lowerthan the second idling speed and controlling the engine torque to a negative torque by delaying an ignition timing of the engine and causing the target idling speed to drop within a prescribed amountof time needed for the clutch to switch from being disconnected to being connected when the shift range is switched from the non-driving range to the driving range while the increase idling speed request is present. controlling the engine to a target idling speed, characterized by: determining whether an increase idling speed request is present to set the target idling speed to a second idling speed higherthan a first idling speed, which is a normal idling speed; setting the target idling speed to the second idling speed upon determining that the increase idling speed request is present; setting the target idling speed to the first idling speed and maintaining the first idling speed regardless of operation of the shift range upon determining that the increase idling speed request is not present; setting the target idling speed to a third idling speed which is lowerthan the second idling speed and controlling the engine torque to a negative torque by delaying an ignition timing of the engine and causing the target idling speed to drop within a prescribed amountof time needed for the clutch to switch from being disconnected to being connected when the shift range is switched from the non-driving range to the driving range while the increase idling speed request is present. determining whether an increase idling speed request is present to set the target idling speed to a second idling speed higherthan a first idling speed, which is a normal idling speed; setting the target idling speed to the second idling speed upon determining that the increase idling speed request is present; setting the target idling speed to the first idling speed and maintaining the first idling speed regardless of operation of the shift range upon determining that the increase idling speed request is not present; setting the target idling speed to a third idling speed which is lowerthan the second idling speed and controlling the engine torque to a negative torque by delaying an ignition timing of the engine and causing the target idling speed to drop within a prescribed amountof time needed for the clutch to switch from being disconnected to being connected when the shift range is switched from the non-driving range to the driving range while the increase idling speed request is present.