A surface-coated cutting tool comprising a coating film on a base, wherein said coating film comprises a hard layer constituted of a compound selected from a nitride, a carbonitride, an oxynitride and a carboxynitride of Al 1-a-b-c Cr a V b Si c, wherein 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.4, 0 ≤ b ≤ 0.4, 0 ≤ c ≤ 0.2, a + b ≠ 0, 0 < a + b + c < 1, wherein said hard layer contains at least either Cr or V in addition to Al, and wherein said hard layer satisfies the following: (a) (hmax - hf)/hmax is at least 0.2 and not more than 0.7, assuming that hmax represents the maximum indentation depth and hf represents the indentation depth (dent depth) after unloading, in a hardness test according to nanoindentation, hmax and hf measured according to the nanoindentation that an indentation load is applied in a state controlling an indentation depth of an indenter to not more than 1/10 of a thickness of the hard layer, (b) the thickness of the hard layer is at least 0.5 μm and not more than 15 μm, and (c) the hardness according to nanoindentation is at least 20 GPa and not more than 80 GPa, wherein the coating film further comprises an intermediate layer formed between the base surface and the hard layer, and said intermediate layer is constituted of any of a nitride of Cr, and Cr, and wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is at least 0.005 μm and not more than 0.5 μm. said coating film comprises a hard layer constituted of a compound selected from a nitride, a carbonitride, an oxynitride and a carboxynitride of Al 1-a-b-c Cr a V b Si c, wherein 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.4, 0 ≤ b ≤ 0.4, 0 ≤ c ≤ 0.2, a + b ≠ 0, 0 < a + b + c < 1, wherein said hard layer contains at least either Cr or V in addition to Al, and wherein said hard layer satisfies the following: (a) (hmax - hf)/hmax is at least 0.2 and not more than 0.7, assuming that hmax represents the maximum indentation depth and hf represents the indentation depth (dent depth) after unloading, in a hardness test according to nanoindentation, hmax and hf measured according to the nanoindentation that an indentation load is applied in a state controlling an indentation depth of an indenter to not more than 1/10 of a thickness of the hard layer, (b) the thickness of the hard layer is at least 0.5 μm and not more than 15 μm, and (c) the hardness according to nanoindentation is at least 20 GPa and not more than 80 GPa, wherein the coating film further comprises an intermediate layer formed between the base surface and the hard layer, and said intermediate layer is constituted of any of a nitride of Cr, and Cr, and wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is at least 0.005 μm and not more than 0.5 μm. (a) (hmax - hf)/hmax is at least 0.2 and not more than 0.7, assuming that hmax represents the maximum indentation depth and hf represents the indentation depth (dent depth) after unloading, in a hardness test according to nanoindentation, hmax and hf measured according to the nanoindentation that an indentation load is applied in a state controlling an indentation depth of an indenter to not more than 1/10 of a thickness of the hard layer, (b) the thickness of the hard layer is at least 0.5 μm and not more than 15 μm, and (c) the hardness according to nanoindentation is at least 20 GPa and not more than 80 GPa, wherein the coating film further comprises an intermediate layer formed between the base surface and the hard layer, and said intermediate layer is constituted of any of a nitride of Cr, and Cr, and wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is at least 0.005 μm and not more than 0.5 μm.