Toyota tries to turn corner with new Mississippi plant

Japanese automaker Toyota is reeling after a series of highly-publicized recalls were issued on some of the company’s most popular models.

In addition to the recalls, the company was recently forced to sell its New United Motor Manufacturing (Nummi) plant in California to Tesla motors after its partner GM backed out of the factory. The plant made the company’s popular Corolla models.

Most recently, the company took a hit in JD Power’s Initial Quality Survey, falling from 6th place to 21st in the rankings of auto models. Although sales are up 10.5 percent on the year, that lags behind the industry average of 17.2 percent.

However, the company is looking to turn things around by finishing a new plant in Mississippi, according to the Associated Press. The new factory will employ more than 2,000 workers in the manufacturing of Corollas. The plant may also build the company’s Prius hybrids.

The move may signal that the automaker is looking to move past the recall scandal and into a state of recovery, according to the news source.

Used Toyotas are renowned for their reliability and longevity, consistently winning safety and reliability awards over the years. With the company’s reputation taking a hit in recent months, consumers who still have faith in the company’s engineering standards might be able to find deals on used Toyotas.