You can use this, but remember that your query gives 1 result, multiple results will throw the exception.

declare @ModelID uniqueidentifer
Set @ModelID = (select Top(1) modelid from models where areaid = 'South Coast')

Another way:

Select Top(1)@ModelID = modelid from models where areaid = 'South Coast'

There are three approaches:

1. DECLARE
2. SET -- Microsoft Recommended approach
3. SELECT

Below query details the advantage and disadvantage of each:

-- First way, 
DECLARE @test int = (SELECT 1)
       , @test2 int = (SELECT a from (values (1),(2)) t(a)) -- throws error

-- advantage: declare and set in the same place
-- Disadvantage: can be used only during declaration. cannot be used later

-- Second way
DECLARE @test int  
       , @test2 int 

SET @test = (select 1)
SET @test2 = (SELECT a from (values (1),(2)) t(a)) -- throws error

-- Advantage: ANSI standard. 
-- Disadvantage: cannot set more than one variable at a time

-- Third way
DECLARE @test int, @test2 int 
SELECT @test = (select 1)
      ,@test2 = (SELECT a from (values (1),(2)) t(a)) -- throws error

-- Advantage: Can set more than one variable at a time
-- Disadvantage: Not ANSI standard

To ASSIGN variables using a SQL select the best practice is as shown below

->DECLARE co_id INT ;
->DECLARE sname VARCHAR(10) ;

->SELECT course_id INTO co_id FROM course_details ;
->SELECT student_name INTO sname FROM course_details;

IF you have to assign more than one variable in a single line you can use this same SELECT INTO

->DECLARE val1 int;
->DECLARE val2 int;

->SELECT student__id,student_name INTO val1,val2 FROM student_details;

--HAPPY CODING--