Thank you very much guys for ur generous feedback.
I have reconsidered the options given and narrowed my search down to following.
Perodua Axia 2015-2016
Kia Picanto 2015-2016
Wagon R (Can't get my mind out of it)
Doing a bit of research, found that some mention about a gearbox issue with Axia 15 &16. I suspect this is mainly to do with manual transmissions, however would like to know if any Axia automatic owners came across this.
Didn't hear any popular issues with Picanto yet.
Wagon R is the one I like the most due to the Japanese manufacturer and better consumption. However, I would not be driving the vehicle daily hence would it be a bad idea as the battery life would fade off due to less usage? Also, what are the drawbacks of Wagon R? Heard that parts are super expensive and the car is prone to frequent break downs than other Japanese units.