German carmaker Volkswagen says sales last year fell 4.8 per cent for its flagship brand as the company struggled to overcome a scandal over cars rigged to evade diesel emissions testing.

Sales volume fell to 5,823,400 vehicles from 6,118,700.

The scandal became known only in late September, so it could only have affected figures in the last months of the year.

The figures do not include Volkswagen's other brands, such as Audi, Seat and Skoda.