The present invention provides a vane pump having variable displacement and high efficiency. The variable displacement vane pump includes a plurality of elongate, axially extending inserts disposed in the rotor. One of the inserts is disposed between every adjacent vane pair. The inserts are received within axially extending pockets in the rotor and are coupled to the rotor by springs. At lower rotational speeds, the inserts are retracted and the displacement of the pump chambers is at maximum. At higher rotational speeds, the inserts are advanced into the pump chambers, effectively reducing their displacement. Thus, the variable displacement pump compensates for the varying drive speed and achieves improved uniformity of fluid flow by providing maximum displacement at low speeds and reduced displacement at higher speeds.