Vehicle and control method thereof

A control method of a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas control catalyst that purifies exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine, fuel injecting means for injecting fuel into the internal combustion engine, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed, and automatic shutting off means for shutting off the internal combustion engine when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is in a first low vehicle speed region,

• the control method comprising the steps of:
• i) when a predetermined catalyst degradation condition is satisfied when a predetermined fuel cut condition is satisfied, executing control to suppress catalyst, degradation that keeps the internal combustion engine firing without cutting off the injection of fuel by the fuel injecting means when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is outside of a second low vehicle speed region set based on an operating state of the vehicle;
• and
• ii) executing fuel cut control that stops the internal combustion engine from firing by cutting off the injection of fuel by the fuel injecting means when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is in the second low vehicle speed region while the control to suppress catalyst degradation is being executed.