I rarely comment on code style for this reason. I want the review to focus on functionality, not style. I don't really believe the notion "imperfect code style is a code smell" anyway.
Blaming developers for something that can be automated? Yeah, something is off here, though not necessarily the review.
> nitpicking of inconsequential things like variable names
To me it sounds like a good thing when there's nothing else to comment on. Making code more readable is a win for everybody.
The style itself is inconsequential, but no consistent style is a red flag to me.
Similar arguments could be made about actual architecture: "If you can't have well-designed and consistent houses, how can you possibly have a well-designed city?"
The best architectures I've seen, by far, had the worst code. Code is not a systemic level issue. The way the pieces fit together is.
A sad fact of good architectures is they actually enable bad code to exist without severe consequences, because that badness is localized.
let c = ... versus let customer_address = ... can save a lot of sanity throughout the years
Structure of the code, as in relationship of classes, data flow and high level design is also important and checked during review.